Taxon name
Pipistrellus kuhlii
(Kuhl, 1817)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Pipistrellus kuhlii
(Kuhl, 1817)
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Mammals
Species authority
(Kuhl, 1817)
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Simmons (2005) considers sub-Saharan African and Canary Island populations to belong to a different species, P. hesperidus, but the taxonomic validity of that taxon, as well its relation with the African P. deserti needs further research. The species in Yemen requires taxonomic clarification (D. Kock pers. comm. 2005).Pipistrellus deserti is considered a junior synonym of P. kuhlii following Benda et al. (2014).
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is assessed as Least Concern because it is widespread in the UAE and common, and there are no major threats. No regional adjustment is made to the Least Concern assessment.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication
https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This is the most widespread and one of the most abundant species of bat in the UAE (Judas et al. 2018). There are records from many localities, including coastal areas and islands of all emirates. The species is widespread in Arabia and was described as 'abundant' by Harrison and Bates (1991). Globally, the species is widespread in Africa and Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, Middle East and the Caucasus to Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and India (Juste and Paunovic 2016).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Roosts colonially. Observed packed together in cracks between coral blocks used to build houses in Sharjah and also in falaj tunnels at Al Ain (Harrison and Bates 1991), and may make use of caves and crevices in between rocks. It occurs in a wide range of desert habitats and mountain wadis.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Unknown. The increasing extent and intensity of urban lighting may have a negative impact on nocturnal flying invertebrates, the main prey base. Species in the mountains may be affected indirectly by falling water tables due to over-abstraction and reduced precipitation.
History
The species was considered Data Deficient by Hornby (1996), however, we consider it likely that the species would also have qualified as Least Concern in 1996.
Publication
Mallon, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Allen, D., & Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial. A report to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates (p. 41). IUCN Global Species Programme. https://bit.ly/2RdZCQR
