Trojan Bat Sanctuary

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Tourist Attraction

District: Setúbal > Grândola > Troia

Location

Located on the Tróia Peninsula, in the municipality of Grândola, the Morcegário is set within a natural environment of great beauty. Its location offers views of the imposing Serra da Arrábida to the northwest, providing a striking landscape. To the southeast, the landscape is dominated by the Tróia caldera salt marsh, which complements the environmental diversity of the surrounding area.

This discreet yet ecologically important site is integrated into a context where nature and human intervention coexist, revealing a lesser-known facet of the peninsula dedicated to wildlife conservation.

A Pioneer Shelter

Created in 2003, the Tróia Morcegário represents a notable initiative in nature conservation in Portugal. It was designed as an artificial shelter to protect a colony of Tadarida teniotis (European free-tailed bat), a rare and threatened species in national territory.

This project was born from the need to relocate these flying mammals, whose original habitat, a tower that was to be demolished on the Tróia Peninsula, was at risk. Its construction involved the collaboration of entities such as the Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (ICNB) and the Institute of the Sea, reflecting a joint effort to safeguard these very special creatures.

The Inhabitants of the Morcegário

The main focus of the Morcegário are the European free-tailed bats, known for their ability to emit echolocation audible to the human ear and for hunting in flight at high altitudes, covering a vast territory. This species, which can shelter in rock crevices as well as buildings, found a new home in the morcegário.

To facilitate the transition, some of the concrete slabs that served as shelter in the original tower were even used, in an attempt to maintain the bats' habits. In addition to the European free-tailed bats, the site has also been frequented by other species such as the Kuhl's pipistrelle and the common pipistrelle, which adapt well to environments closer to inhabited areas.

Conservation and Monitoring

The Tróia Morcegário is a living example of an innovative conservation measure, where the creation of artificial shelters for bats is a relatively recent approach. Since its construction, the site has been regularly monitored by biologists, who conduct counts to assess the effectiveness of this initiative.

This continuous surveillance allows for verification of whether the bats have successfully adopted the shelter and for a better understanding of their behavioral patterns and adaptation. The Morcegário is thus more than just a refuge; it is a natural laboratory that contributes to the knowledge and protection of biodiversity in Portugal.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt