Egyptian Slit-Faced Bat - NYCTERIS THEBAICA

Slit-faced bats are very fragile and sensitive to high temperatures and humidities. Because of this, they roost in the cool, moist interiors of deep caves.
This is the commonest of the slit-faced bats, occurring widely in sub-Saharan Africa except in the tropical forests of Central and West Africa. The total length is about 100 millimetres and average weight is 10-11 grams. The long silky fur on the back is buffy-brown with slate-grey bases, and the underparts are buffy of off-white. The long, sparsely haired ears and wings are light brown. Occasionally, rufous specimens are encountered. Seldom found in forested areas, this species is associated with open woodland savannas and also occurs in semi-deserts and deserts such as the Kalahari and Namib. This gregarious animal occurs in colonies ranging from a few individuals to 600 or more, depending on the suitability of daytime roosts and the ability of the environment to sustain the population all year round. Deep, dark caves and hollow trees are preferred daytime refuges. At night the bats use regular night roosts to rest and groom between feeding bouts. When they emerge after dark, individuals tend to hunt and feed on the wing; later they prefer to hunt particular insects, scorpions, solifugids and other invertebrates from perches. (Dr Naas Rautenbach)