Inland Cave Bat

Introduction

Inland Cave Bats are ususally found near rock outcrops or hilly terrain.

Habitat

Inland Cave Bats live in a huge range of habitats from desert to high rainfall coastal areas. They are usually found near rock outcrops or hilly terrain.

Distribution

Feeding and diet

Flying insects, probably small moths, mosquitoes and flying ants. Fluttery fly with fast seemingly erratic changes in direction. Commonly observed at waterholes.

Other behaviours and adaptations

Inland Cave Bats are normally found near the twilight zones of caves, cracks and fissures in rock and disused mines. They will also use the abandoned nests of fairy martins. Single colonies of more than 500 have been found but they usually live in smaller colonies. The Inland Forest Bat shares its roost with other microbat species including ghost bats, which can be a predator.

Economic impacts

The Inland Cave Bat is 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.

Predators

The Ghost Bat is a predator of the Inland Cave Bat, which often shares the same roosts.