Species Spotlight
Going to Bat for the Only Flying Mammal
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Endemic to Equatorial Guinea , Cameroon and Nigeria , the Endangered Short-tailed Roundleaf Bat is one of more than 1,400 species of bats found worldwide . This tiny , rare bat seldom seen by humans makes its home in lowland tropical rainforest , roosting by day and gorging on insects after dark .
“ Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight ,” said Dr . Cullen Geiselman , bat biologist and conservationist , and a member of the Rainforest Trust Board of Directors .
Weighing less than a pound , the Short-tailed Roundleaf Bat prefers to roost in undisturbed caves in lowland rainforest . Studies show that these bats are highly range-restricted and limited by the quality and quantity of roosting caves . They are highly sensitive to disturbance and will desert their roosting site at the slightest disruption . Fragmentation of their forest habitat also poses an increasing threat .
Rainforest Trust is working with our partner , Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program , to protect critical forest habitat and roosting caves for the Short-tailed Roundleaf Bat by establishing the 237,706-acre Reserva de la Paz National Park in Equatorial Guinea . The new protected area forms part of a contiguous conservation network of nearly 458,000 acres of intact habitat for the Short-tailed Roundleaf Bat and other imperiled species , including the Grey Parrot ( EN ) and Chimpanzee ( EN ).
“ We don ’ t know a lot about this species of bat , which is one reason to preserve it ,” continued Dr . Geiselman . “ But all bats play an important role in keeping their ecosystems healthy . Using echolocation , they consume many insects in one night , keeping the insect population in check .”
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