Home > Mammals > Bats Bumblebee Bat



Bumblebee Bat Range Map

(Thailand & Myanmar)











Bumblebee Bat Range Map(Thailand & Myanmar) Latin Name Craseonycteris thonglongyai Conservation Status Endangered Location Thailand & Myanmar Colour Reddish/Brown or Grey Length 29 - 33 mm (1.1 - 1.3 inches) Tail None Wingspan Approx. 170 mm (6.7 inches) Weight 2 g (0.07 oz) Life Expectancy - Yrs

Main Characteristics



Bumblebee Bats are the world's smallest bat, in fact they are the world's 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 colour. They have dark coloured 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:

Kitti's 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



Contact About Glossary Site Map Privacy Policy



CC 2006 - 2014 theanimalfiles.com



