Facts About the Horseshoe Bat
Bats are probably not the first creatures that come to mind when envisioning cute, furry mammals. They are, however, very important to people and the environment. In addition to feeding on crop-destroying insects, horseshoe bats are intriguing to scientists who study their noses and echolocation--the ability to bounce sound off objects to find prey--in the hopes of helping blind people.
Other People Are Reading
-
Facial Structure
-
Horseshoe bats belong to the family Rhinolophidae (Greek for "nose crest"). Their faces have a large, complex nose that has a fleshy structure resembling a horseshoe, hence their common name. This area, called a "nose leaf," magnifies the cries of the bats when it's searching for food. Unlike most bat species, horseshoe bats emit sound through their noses, not mouths.
Characteristics
-
Horseshoe bats live in tropical and temperate regions in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The bats' fur is fine and brown and they have large pointy ears. The lesser horseshoe bats are relatively small, from 1.4- to 4.3-inches long, not counting their tails. Greater horseshoe bats are a slightly larger species with a reddish hue to their fur. According to Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 1, the longest recorded life span of this species is 30 years.
-
Status
-
The greater horseshoe bat is endangered in Europe and other species are experiencing population loss. One reason for this may be the increased use of pesticides to eliminate insects, thus depleting bats' food supply.
Reproduction
-
Horseshoe bats move to a different location to give birth. Mating occurs in the fall but fertilization does not happen until spring. The females move to "nurseries," sometimes sharing them with other families of bats. Gestation ranges from seven weeks to five months, depending on the species. Most births are singletons. Babies are adept fliers and hunters within four to six weeks.
Hibernation
-
Horseshoe bats' roosting behavior is different from most hibernating bats. Instead of hanging upside down and folding their wings up next to their bodies, they wrap themselves up in their wings and tails. Horseshoe bats are very sensitive to disruption of their roosts and will easily awaken and fly to a new area is disturbed.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Stevie-B: Flickr.com
