Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat - HIPPOSIDEROS CAFFER

Sundevall's bat is small and fragile. Highly developed echolocation abilities and broad wings - which allow agile flight - enable Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat to hunt for insects among dense bush.
This is a small, fragile bat, with a total length of 80 millimetres and a mass of 7-8 grams. The long, woolly fur ranges in colour from off-white (in semi-desert regions) to predominantly dark grayish-brown or sometimes a rich gold (in temperate and tropical regions). The coloration of the abdomen is normally the same as the back, but a lighter shade.Sundevall’s leaf-nosed bat occurs widely in woodland savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. In the subregion it is found in northern Namibia, northern and southeastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Northern Province, the North-West, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. An isolated population has been recorded at the Orange River mouth. It is a gregarious species, found mostly by day in colonies ranging from just a few individuals to several hundred, in the sanctuary of caves, rock fissures, disused mine adits, culverts, hollow trees or the dark interiors of deserted buildings. Like most cave dwellers, it is very sensitive to high temperatures and low humidities, and optimal environmental conditions of daytime roosts are of critical importance to survival.Individuals emerge at dusk to hunt for small insects on the wing. They possess keen echolocation abilities, and are slow but very agile in flight.Later at night small groups congregate in night roosts, where they rest, groom and interact socially. Individuals constantly arrive at and depart from the roost to forage for more prey. Highly developed echolocation and flight abilities enable these bats to effortlessly negotiate dense brush and foliage in search of insect prey.The female gives birth to a single young during the early summer months.
(Dr Naas Rautenbach)