Bats

You can see bats in the reef at least part of the year. The bat species found in the area are the northern bat and the whiskered bat and the great whiskered bat.

The bat is a special kind of mammal, as it is the only mammal that can fly. All 11 species of bats found in Finland use insects for food, which they prey on by sounding with the help of ultrasound. Bats are mostly active at night. During the day, they stay hidden in buildings and tree holes. Despite their small size, bats are long-lived. They may live up to 30 years.

The life of bats is rhythmic according to the seasons. In autumn, they prepare for winter by hunting hard and mating. In winter, there is limited availability of insects, so bats hibernate for the winter or migrate to Central Europe. The species occurring in the reef area winter in Finland. In October-November, they find themselves in caves, rock crevices and buildings, where they hibernate for the winter. During hibernation, the bat's vital functions slow down: the body temperature drops to around 0–5 °C, the heart beats more slowly and breathing slows down.

Bats wake up from hibernation in April-May. Soon after waking up from hibernation, they seek breeding grounds in large colonies, where the females spend part of the summer. Dogs usually appear alone in the summer. The area of ​​the reef is not a breeding area for bats, but the bats use the area for hunting part of the year.

Between June and July, female bats usually give birth to one young. The chick learns to fly at about one month of age. At the turn of July and August, the chicks join the mothers' nocturnal predatory flights. Soon after this, the breeding colonies break up and then some of the bats settle again in the Riutta area to prey and prepare for the next winter.

All bats in Finland are protected by the Nature Conservation Act.