by: rv. family, genus, species? the only living member of the family, craseonycteridae belongs to...
Post on 05-Jan-2016
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HOG- NOSED BAT
By: RV
Family, Genus, Species?
The only living member of the family, Craseonycteridae
Belongs to the genus, Craseonycteris Part of the species, Thonglongyai
Physiology This bat is approximately 1.1 to 1.3 inches in
length and 2 grams in mass Swollen, pig-like nose Large ears Eyes are mostly covered by brown or gray fur Possibly the smallest mammal in the world
Natural Habitat The hog-nosed bat occupies limestone caverns
along rivers in Thailand and much of its population is protected in the Sai Yok National Park
They are typically solitary creatures that dwell on the ceilings of caves
Group Size Varies from as few as 10 to 500 Most groups have approximately 100 members Due to their small group size, when a group is
attacked it is incredibly difficult for the hog-nosed bat to regroup in order to breed with other bats
Symbiotic Relationships Little is known about the predators of the hog-
nosed bat although some suspect that predators include birds of prey
The hog-nosed bat typically preys upon small insects
Sources of Energy
The hog-nosed bat’s source of energy is primarily small insects which they are able to feed upon while still in flight
Reproduction & Benefits Very little is known about the reproductive habits of
the hog-nosed bat but they are known to produce only one offspring per year
Their slow reproductive rate does not help their declining population and is not a benefit to their species
Common Threats Forest destruction is the main cause of endangerment The annual burning of the forest is most harmful to their
population Since the 1950’s, the forests surrounding the caverns in
which they live have been massively destroyed leaving almost none of their natural habitat
Endangerment Due to the massive loss of wilderness, these bats are
severely endangered and at risk of extinction Such little is known about the hog-nosed bat, that no efforts
are being made to protect their habitats, leaving their numbers to dwindle to extinction
Current populations are expected to range between a weak 2,000 to 4,000 members
This mammal has been listed as one of ten animals for investigation by the “Edge of Existence Programme” in 2007
Why are they important? These animals are (debatably) the smallest
mammal in the world This organism does not have any known service
that other species cannot equally provide
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitti's_hog-nosed_bat
http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/bats/bumblebee_bat.html
http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=49
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