Wildlifeof Vietnam
Lesser Dawn Bat
Bats
Photo: Mike Gordon — wildlifeofeverywhere.com · Project photograph
Eonycteris spelaea
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Basic stats
Diet
Nectar and pollen; at least thirteen plant taxa, including banana and jackfruit
Habitat
Caves, in larger groups
Range
Bangladesh, India and China through Southeast Asia to Timor-Leste
Size
Head and body 8.5–11cm; tail 1.5–1.8cm; forearm 6–7cm
The cave nectar bat, or lesser dawn bat, is a fruit bat with grey-brown to dark brown or black upperparts, paler underparts, a neck sometimes yellowish brown and an external tail. Head and body length is 8.5–11 cm, the tail 1.5–1.8 cm and the forearm 6–7 cm. It ranges from Bangladesh, India and China through Southeast Asia to Timor-Leste (Wikipedia, general species account).
It roosts in caves in large groups, some roosts exceeding 50,000 animals, and sometimes with other bat species. It feeds on nectar and pollen of at least thirteen kinds of plant and pollinates commercially important crops such as banana and jackfruit, and which plants it uses depends on what grows near its roost. The cached account gives no breeding information.
Quick answers
- What does the Lesser Dawn Bat eat?
- Nectar and pollen; at least thirteen plant taxa, including banana and jackfruit
- What habitat does the Lesser Dawn Bat live in?
- Caves, in larger groups
- Where is the Lesser Dawn Bat found?
- Bangladesh, India and China through Southeast Asia to Timor-Leste
- How big is the Lesser Dawn Bat?
- Head and body 8.5–11cm; tail 1.5–1.8cm; forearm 6–7cm