[2] Detailed observations done in Tunisia showed no obvious morphological differences between North African and European specimens.

The species can be found in western Ireland and south-west Britain, with some larger populations in parts of Germany and the Bavarian foothills of the Alps.

Rhinolophus hipposideros is widely distributed in the Mediterranean area, occurring in North Africa and on most larger islands to Asia Minor and around the Black Sea.

A large breeding colony of lesser horseshoe bats populates the smallest SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) in the UK, a 7m2 barn in Gloucestershire, England.

[8] The species is threatened by a number of factors, including the disturbance or destruction of roosts, changes in agricultural practices (such as the increased use of insecticides, which reduce prey availability) and the loss of suitable foraging habitats.

[1] The lesser horseshoe bat has been recorded in the counties Galway, South Mayo, Clare, Limerick, Cork and Kerry.

Roosts containing up to 50 individuals have been found in caves such as the Cova de Ca Na Rea (Ibiza), though most groups tend to be smaller.

Then, a maternity colony was found in the abandoned Hôtel des Chênes, South of Ain Draham.

The presence of this first known maternity colony in the country surprised the investigators: the bats roosted under the roof and in the various rooms instead of trees or abandoned mines: It might therefore be of interest to search for maternity colonies of the species in North Africa, not only in wooded areas and underground sites but also in abandoned opened buildings.