 The lesser short-nosed fruit bat -Sri Lanka's endangered and endemic
species
Fruit bats are known for their
cute foxy faces and large eyes. They roost during the day and wrap their
wings tightly around their body leaving only their head peeping out.
Bats bodies are designed perfectly for hanging upside down.
 Their toes naturally close to hold onto their roosts without having
to use any extra energy. Hanging upside down also gives bats a safe
place to rest away from predators - on the ceilings of caves, in trees
and in buildings.
Fruit bats become active soon after sunset to look for small fruit to
eat like mangoes, figs and nectar. They do not echolocate so instead
rely on their strong sense of smell and large eyes to find food.
(Echolocation is when bats make high frequency calls and then listen for
echoes to bounce from objects in front of them.
They form pictures in their brains by listening to the echoes - just
like we form pictures in our brains by interpreting reflected light with
our eyes.) The main threat to these bats is deforestation - when forests
are cut down so are bat's roosts.
Many bats have lost their homes when their natural habitat is
destroyed to make way for plantations, homes and farming.
What can you do?
1. Install a bat house.
You can help create safe roosts for bats to
live in by putting up a bat house
 2. Visit a bat location
Bats roost all over Sri Lanka - why not visit and observe a bat
colony to appreciate how
gentle and wonderful these
endangered animals are
3. Join a conservation group
Find out about local bat
monitoring or education groups near you to help
protect the bats in your area |
