Commerson's leaf-nosed bat - HIPPOSIDEROS COMMERSONI

Commerson's leaf-nosed bat is the largest insectivorous bat in Southern Africa. It has well-developed canines, used in feeding on large insects with hard exoskeletons.
This is the largest insectivorous bat in the subregion, with a total body length of 150 millimetres, a wingspan of nearly 600 millimetres and a weight of up to 130 grams. The dense, short fur is fawn coloured on the back, lighter on the head and neck, and light tawny underneath. The flanks are white, the ears prominent and pointed. The hindlegs are long and the dark claws conspicuous and sharp. The skull has a large sagittal crest, which serves as an attachment for the strongly developed jaw muscles. The bat is capable of delivering a vicious bite with its well-developed canines.Commerson’s leaf-nosed bat occurs predominantly in savannas and ranges from Nigeria in the west to Ethiopian in the east, southwards through Central Africa to northern Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the extreme northeastern region of South Africa.Colonies, which vary in number from a few individuals to several hundred, prefer to roost in caves by day, but also use hollow trees as refuges. At night the bats forage individually over considerable distances, and later use secluded spots in scrub as roosts to rest, groom, and listen for prey. Evidence suggests that the species is to a limited extent migratory; in the Pafuri region of the Kruger National Park it is encountered only during summer.The formidable size, teeth and clawed hindfeet suggest that this bat may be carnivorous, but it has been known to prey only on insects ranging in size and diversity from termites to large beetles.The young are born during early summer. Gestation is thought to be 5 months; the single offspring is usually born in October, at the beginning of the rainy season. Although the young bat grows rapidly, it is not weaned until over 5 months of age, and only reaches sexual maturity when 2 years old. (Dr Naas Rautenbach)