Did you know the Bumble bee bat is the worlds smallest bat and worlds smallest mammal and related to the bat species the only mammal that can fly - how cool is that :D Scientifically identified as Craseonycteris thonglongyai the species is endemic to Thailand & Myanmar of which its colors are mainly reddish, brown or grey. Length is around 29 - 33 mm (1.1 - 1.3 inches). Picture one depicts young juvenile while picture two depicts a mature juvenile. Wingspan is around 170 mm (6.7 inches) and the overall weight of the species is no fewer than 2 g (0.07 oz). Life expectancy is not really understood - some researchers have suggested no more than four to five years while other have stated higher. Bumblebee Bats are the worlds smallest bat, in fact they are the worlds smallest mammal. They are between 29 and 33 mm (1.1 - 1.3 inches) in length, they have no tail, they have a wingspan of approximately 170 mm (6.7 inches) and they weigh 2 g (0.07 oz). They have reddish/brown or grey upper parts with their underside being pale in color. They have dark colored relatively wide wings with long tips that enables them to hover. Their nose is pig-like, they have small eyes and relatively large ears. They have a large web of skin between their hind legs, known as the uropatagium, that gives them assistance when in flight. They are most active at dusk when they fly around teak trees and clumps of bamboo capturing insects. Habitat Bumblebee Bats are found in areas in Sai Yok National Park in the Kanchanaburi Province of western Thailand. They have also recently been discovered in Myanmar. Small colonies consisting of 10 - 100 individuals roost high up in limestone caves. When they roost they are spread out so that they are not touching each other. These caves are found in forested areas near rivers. Diet Bumblebee Bats feed on insects. They either take them from foliage or capture them in the air. Breeding Very little is known about reproduction in Bumblebee Bats but it is thought that they give birth to a single young in late April each year. Predators It is not known if Bumblebee Bats have any predators. Their main threat is the annual burning of the forests near their caves in Thailand. Subspecies There are no subspecies of the Bumblebee Bat. Interesting Facts Bumblebee Bats are also known as: Kittis Hog Nosed Bat Bumblebee Bats get their popular name because they are a similar size to a large bumblebee but they were discovered by the Thai biologist, Kitti Thonglongya, in 1973 and they were actually named after him. The approximate population of Bumblebee Bats is in the region of 4,000 individuals. The Bumblebee Bat has been included as one of the 10 species to be investigated by the Zoological Society of London Edge of Existence Programme in 2007. Similar Animals Lesser Mouse-Tailed Bat Greater Mouse-Tailed Bat
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 02:11:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015