BATS may have a bad reputation, but like it or not, they are part of our ecosystem and quite extraordinary, being the only mammals capable of true flight.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research’s Dr Lindsay Lumsden, expert on the ecology and conservation of insectivorous bats, recently presented a webinar on the creatures and said it was concerning that their main food source, insects, were declining at a global level.
“An estimated one to two per cent decrease in population per year,” she said.
Southwest Goulburn Landcare Facilitator Vanessa Malandrin attended the webinar and revealed some interesting facts to the Review:
In the Mitchell Shire, there are at least 15 microbat species.
Their colonies are structured socially, and they know each other individually. Female bats are especially social, and during gestation they form maternity roosts to keep each other warm and safe from predators. Usually, they have one pup at a time, however they can give birth to twins. The quick gestation period lasts six to nine weeks (depending on the species). Newborns usually weigh up to a third of the mother’s body weight, and start flying at six weeks of age.
The Little Forest Bat weighs only four grams—that’s than a 10 cent coin! In one night, they can eat half of their body weight in insects.
Open paddocks are used for commuting quickly, and provide an aerial view of trees and bushes to forage for food on and in.
They rarely have a set home, and need multiple trees with hollows. Some species rehome daily as a strategy to avoid predators. Fallen trees are also suitable homes for bats, with some species living for up to 43 years in the wild.
Bats can control both their heart rate and their body temperature, known as torpor, and are able to decrease quickly from 40 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees. This allows bats to delay the development of an embryo until optimal weather conditions arrive. During torpor, their little heart beats 10 times per minute. When resting, this rate increases to 400 times per minute, and in flight, sits at 1000 beats per minute.
Warm weather usually equals more insects and therefore more protein, which is particularly needed for milk production.
Sadly, extinction is likely for bats, but we can help these little creatures by planting amazing wildflowers and designing ecosystems that attract insects and moths into even the smallest of gardens.
To get involved in more Landcare activities which protect and improve the natural environment through sustainable land management practices, email swglandcare@gmail.com.
