The raccoon Procyon lotor is an invasive species inhabiting Europe and its impact on local populations, particularly on endangered species, is not well known. The aim of the study was to determine whether raccoons pose a threat to bats wintering in the Nietoperek nature reserve, one of the largest hibernation sites in Central Europe. In the winter of 2016–2017, 67 raccoon scats were collected in one of the main underground corridors in the reserve. It was confirmed, with the use of molecular methods, that the scats belonged to raccoons. Raccoon prey was identified based on the features of skulls, jaws or hair found in the scats. Analysis of the determinable remains indicates that bats (including Daubenton’s bat/Natterer’s bat/Brandt’s bat M. daubentonii/nattereri/brandtii, Natterer’s bat Myotis nattereri, greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis, brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus) made up the largest percentage of raccoon diet (96%). Remains of other mammal species, lizards Lacerta spp., plant materials and anthropogenic food were also identified in raccoon scats. The results of the research indicate that predation by raccoons can constitute a significant factor in the increasing mortality of bats wintering in Nietoperek.

中文翻译：

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在波兰 Nietoperek 保护区对冬眠蝙蝠的入侵浣熊 (Procyon lotor) 的捕食

浣熊 Procyon lotor 是一种栖息在欧洲的入侵物种，它对当地种群的影响，尤其是对濒危物种的影响，尚不清楚。该研究的目的是确定浣熊是否对在 Nietoperek 自然保护区越冬的蝙蝠构成威胁，Nietoperek 自然保护区是中欧最大的冬眠地点之一。2016-2017 年冬季，在保护区的主要地下走廊之一收集了 67 只浣熊粪便。使用分子方法证实，这些粪便属于浣熊。浣熊猎物是根据在粪便中发现的头骨、下巴或毛发的特征来确定的。对可确定遗骸的分析表明，蝙蝠（包括道本顿蝙蝠/Natterer's bat/Brandt's bat M. daubentonii/nattereri/brandtii、Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri、更大的鼠耳蝙蝠 Myotis myotis、棕色长耳蝙蝠 Plecotus auritus) 占浣熊饮食的最大比例 (96%)。在浣熊粪便中也发现了其他哺乳动物物种、蜥蜴蝎虎座属、植物材料和人为食物的遗骸。研究结果表明，浣熊的捕食可能是导致在 Nietoperek 越冬的蝙蝠死亡率增加的一个重要因素。