Penza, 10 December 2017. PenzaNews. Workers and students of the department of zoology and ecology of Penza State University returned from the 23rd in succession two-week expedition to mine galleries of the Samarskaya Luka located near the village Shiryaevo.

Photo: Vadim Bezrukov

The purpose of the expedition was to carry out an annual assessment of wing-handed animals that spend the winter in artificial caves.

As Anton Lukyanenko, student of PSU, told PenzaNews, during the calculation conducted together with the senior staff scientist of the Zhigulevsky reserve Vladimir Vekhnik, it was established that the number of bats was increasing.

Photo: Vadim Bezrukov

"Thus, the number of bats in 2016 was 31,000 specimens, while in 2017 their number increased approximately by 800," the interlocutor said.

Speaking about general trends, he specified that a steady and constant increase in the number of animals that winter in the mine galleries is a good sign for population of these animals in general.

Photo: Vadim Bezrukov

Wing-handed animals are very vulnerable, especially in winter. Wintering in caves, they are easily accessible for people who treat these creatures in different ways," Anton Lukyanenko noted.

He also explained that bats are useful.

Photo: Vadim Bezrukov

"They regulate the number of different insects such as annoying mosquitoes and numerous forest and agricultural vermin," the participant of the expedition added.