Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Vespadelus
    Species
    caurinus
    Family
    Vespertilionidae
    Order
    Chiroptera
    Subclass
    Eutheria
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia

Introduction

Northern Cave Bats roost in caves and disused mines with other microbat species.

Habitat

Northern Cave Bats live in the rock country of the Kimberley region of Western Australia and northern Northern Territory. Tropical vegetation types including monsoon and paperbark forests, tall open forest, savanna, spinifex hill woodland, mixed shrubland and deciduous vine thickets.

They roost in caves and disused mines with other microbat species. Small cracks and crevices, near entrances of caves and mines. Colony sizes range from single animals to 45, usually eight to twelve. Also found in boulder piles, road culverts and Fairy Martin (bird) nests.

Distribution


Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Feeding and diet

Northern Cave Bats feed on moths, bugs and caddis flies.

Conservation status

Northern Cave Bats are 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.