Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat

Family: Hipposideridae
Scientific name: Hipposideros ater

Where they roost:
In dark and warm caves, old mines and under piles of rocks. They often share roosts with other microbat species.

What they eat:
These very small bats feed on small flying insects, often hunting in groups. They feed quickly and then return to their roost to rest and digest their food.

Conservation threats:
Vulnerable to disturbance from human visitors to cave roosts, destruction of caves by mining, and loss of feeding habitat by clearing and land degradation from agriculture.

Other information:
Dusky leaf-nosed bats groom themselves thoroughly. They use their thumb claw to clean their ears, face, mouth and nose, their foot claw to comb the fur on their back and belly, and their tongue to clean their wings.

Photo © GB Baker/Nature Focus