Why is the bumblebee bat endangered

This species can only be found in limestone caves, and they travel deep inside the caves to remain far from the entrance. They prefer roosting in groups and are active only at dusk, at which time they fly around the tops of bamboo clumps and teak trees.

They are insectivorous and feed on insects located on leaves and twigs. They are also known to feed on insects while in flight.

Little is known about the reproductive behavior of the species. A female with a single young was observed in May, and a pregnant female was once collected in April. This species is threatened due to its rarity and because of the decline in its habitat quality. Population estimate is believed to be between and The status of this species has not been reassessed since the discovery of the Myanmar population, and the Thailand population and its habitat are legally protected.

Read More. Toggle navigation Earth's Endangered Creatures. First, bumblebee bats do not have a tail even though they have two caudal vertebrae. Their uropatagium are rather large. Their noses are pig-like, with large nostrils separated by a wide septum. Finally they also have large ears that are 9 to The tragus is around half the size of the ears.

Females have 2 sets of nipples, one on the chest and the other in the pubic area. The nipples in the pubic area are thought to be vestigial or not fully developed. The males have a large swelling in the gland that is at the base of their throats. The wings of bumblebee bats are long and wide, making them well adapted for hovering. They have thumbs that have claws. Their hindfoot is slender, narrow, and long. Nowak descirbed bumblebee bat skulls as small with a large inflated spherical braincase and lacking lambdoidal crests, postorbital processes, and supraoccipital ridges.

In both genders a sagittal crest, which is a bone that runs down the top middle of the skull, is visible. The zygomata, which is the arch in the cheek, is described as slender but complete Nowak Little is known about the mating systems of bumblebee bats. Nowak, Bumblebee bats have one offspring per year and breed once per year in late April to May. However, little else is known about bumblebee bat reproduction. Hayssen, et al. While inside the cave offspring are usually found attached to the mother.

While the mother is foraging the offspring is left alone. Kurta and Kunz, ; Nowak, Bumblebee bat lifespans are unknown but it is thought to be around 5 to 10 years based on the lifespans of other closely related bats. Ward, The behaviors of bumblebee bats are similar to species within the families Megadermatidae , Rhinopomatidae , Hipposideridae , and Rhinoolophidae. Bumblebee bats are a motile species which are capable of long powered flights.

Bumblebee bats are normally active around dusk and dawn. The duration of dawn activity averages around 18 minutes while at dusk the average time is 30 minutes. When bats are not flying they are thought to be in torpor to conserve energy. Typically, about individuals of this species will share the same cave. Despite this congregation, bumblebee bats are not social. Mothers will roost alone in the nursery cave.

Bumblebee bats only fly about 1 km from the cave to forage. They do not maintain or defend territories. Huston, Bumblebee bats use echolocation to navigate their environment.

Bumblebee bats Craseonycteris thonglongyai are found in the Oriental Region of the world. They are found in Thailand, in the Bilauktaung mountain ranges in the western part of the country; Bumblebee bats are mainly located in the Sai Yoke, Kanchanaburi Province. They can also be found in the south eastern parts of Myanmar near the border with Thailand. Bumblebee bats preferentially use limestone caves for roosting near the tops of the caves for warmth.

Bamboo forests serve for the habitat in which they find their food. Bumblebee bats commonly forage in the upper canopy of the forest. Bumblebee bat lifespans are unknown but it is thought to be around 5 to 10 years based on the lifespans of other closely related bats.

Bumblebee bats are about the size of a large bumblebee, hence the common name. These bats are considered among one of the smallest mammals in the world. The size of the head and body is 29 to 33 mm long. The length of the bumblebee bat forearms are 22 to 26 m, and adults weigh between 1. It also has small eyes that are mostly hidden by fur. Bumblebee bats have 28 teeth, which includes relatively large incisors.

The lower incisors are long and narrow. The upper body of bumblebee bats can be 2 different colors: brownish red, or gray. The underside of the bat is a paler color while the wings and the membrane between the legs, called the uropatagium, are darker. Bumblebee bats have a few distinct characters.

First, bumblebee bats do not have a tail even though they have two caudal vertebrae. Their uropatagium are rather large. Their noses are pig-like, with large nostrils separated by a wide septum. Finally they also have large ears that are 9 to The tragus is around half the size of the ears.

Females have 2 sets of nipples, one on the chest and the other in the pubic area. The nipples in the pubic area are thought to be vestigial or not fully developed.

The males have a large swelling in the gland that is at the base of their throats. The wings of bumblebee bats are long and wide, making them well adapted for hovering. They have thumbs that have claws. Their hindfoot is slender, narrow, and long. Nowak descirbed bumblebee bat skulls as small with a large inflated spherical braincase and lacking lambdoidal crests, postorbital processes, and supraoccipital ridges.

In both genders a sagittal crest, which is a bone that runs down the top middle of the skull, is visible. The zygomata, which is the arch in the cheek, is described as slender but complete Nowak Bumblebee bats have one offspring per year and breed once per year in late April to May. However, little else is known about bumblebee bat reproduction. While inside the cave offspring are usually found attached to the mother. While the mother is foraging the offspring is left alone.

Kitti's hog-nosed bat Craseonycteris thonglongyai , also known as the bumblebee bat , is a near-threatened species of bat and the only extant member of the family Craseonycteridae.

It occurs in western Thailand and southeast Myanmar , where it occupies limestone caves along rivers. Kitti's hog-nosed bat is the smallest species of bat and arguably the world's smallest mammal.

It has a reddish-brown or grey coat, with a distinctive pig-like snout. Colonies range greatly in size, with an average of individuals per cave. The bat feeds during short activity periods in the evening and dawn, foraging around nearby forest areas for insects. Females give birth annually to a single offspring. Although the bat's status in Myanmar is not well known, the Thai population is restricted to a single province and may be at risk of extinction.

Its potential threats are primarily anthropogenic, and include habitat degradation and the disturbance of roosting sites. Kitti's hog-nosed bat is about 29 to 33 mm 1. It is the smallest species of bat and may be the world's smallest mammal, depending on how size is defined. The main competitors for the title are small shrews ; in particular, the Etruscan shrew may be lighter at 1. The bat has a distinctive swollen, pig-like snout [3] with thin, vertical nostrils.

The bat's upperparts are reddish-brown or grey, while the underside is generally paler. Kitti's hog-nosed bat occupies limestone caves along rivers within dry evergreen or deciduous forests. Since the discovery of a single individual in Myanmar, at least nine separate sites have been identified in the limestone outcrops of the Dawna and Karen Hills outside the Thanlwin , Ataran , and Gyaing Rivers of Kayin and Mon States. Kitti's hog-nosed bat roosts in caves in limestone hills, far from the entrance.

While many caves contain only 10 to 15 individuals, the average group size is , with a maximum of about Individuals roost high on walls or roof domes, far apart from each other. Kitti's hog-nosed bat has a brief activity period, leaving its roost for only 30 minutes in the evening and 20 minutes at dawn.

These short flights are easily interrupted by heavy rain or cold temperatures. How fast a bat flies depends on the species, but they can reach speeds over miles per hour according to new research. Over 15 million bats live there, making it the largest known bat colony and largest concentration of mammals on Earth. Conservation efforts are helping bat species recover. At least 12 types of U.

These amazing animals face a multitude of threats including habitat loss and disease, but we're working to change that.

A unique international conservation partnership in the southwestern U. In , there were thought to be fewer than 1, bats at the 14 known roosts range wide. There are now an estimated , bats at 75 roosts!

The ancestors of the endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bat traveled over 3, kilometers from the Pacific Coast almost 10, years ago to become Hawaii's state land mammal. The longest-living bat is 41 years old.

Although most bats live less than 20 years in the wild, scientists have documented six species that life more than 30 years.

In , a tiny bat from Siberia set the world record at 41 years. The Townsend's big-eared bat's average lifespan is 16 years. Like cats, bats clean themselves. Far from being dirty, bats spend a lot of time grooming themselves. Some, like the Colonial bat, even groom each other. Besides having sleek fur, cleaning also helps control parasites. The spotted bat gets its name from its distinct appearance of black and white spotted fur.