The Greater Mouse-eared Bat is one of the largest bats in England and  is also the rarest bat in the country. It was believed to have become extinct in 1991, but two individual Greater Mouse-eared Bats were found in the south of England.

The Greater Mouse-eared Bat has a bare-skinned pink face and long light brown ears which are broad and leathery-looking. Although the ears are long, they appear to be a similar shape to those of a mouse and this is why it has its name the ‘Greater Mouse-eared Bat’. It has medium brown coloured fur on top and grey-white fur below. It also has grey wings that are long and broad. This bat is a strong and powerful flier, although it flies quite slowly.

In summer Greater Mouse-eared Bats roost in attics, old tunnels and trees. They often leave their roosts late in the evening to go hunting for food. They mainly feed on beetles and it is not unusual to see these bats foraging the ground for them. Greater Mouse-eared Bats usually go hunting for about four to five hours. In winter they hibernate in caves and quarries and usually return to the same roosting or hibernating places for most of their lives.