Gould's Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) lives in open savanna across Australia and Tasmania. It feeds on insects and moths. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Gould's Wattled Bat
- Gould's wattled bat is the biggest member of the genus Chalinolobus, a group recognised by fleshy lobes at the corners of the mouth. Individuals measure about 70 mm in head-body length, give or take five millimetres, and weigh roughly 14 g, with a variation of four grams. This size makes it larger than its congeners, which share the same distinctive mouth lobes. Its dark brown back turning black on the head and shoulders gives it a striking appearance.
- In the bat boxes installed at Melbourne's Organ Pipes National Park, Gould's wattled bat dominates the roosting community, making up 97 % of the occupants. The species is the most frequently captured in harp traps there, although the exact proportion can shift from one year to the next. Its prevalence in these artificial roosts reflects its adaptability to urban structures such as ceilings and basements.
- In the neighbouring Wilson Reserve at Ivanhoe East, Gould's wattled bat accounts for about 95 % of the individuals captured in bat boxes, and the proportion rises to 100 % in boxes just 1.5 km further east at Kew. These figures show the species' strong preference for the artificial roosts supplied in suburban Melbourne. Such dominance is typical of the bat's habit of occupying ceilings, basements and other human-made structures.
- Gould's wattled bat colonies vary widely in size. While many groups consist of roughly thirty individuals, the species is also capable of forming much larger aggregations. In some roosts up to two hundred bats have been recorded sharing the same space, showing a remarkable capacity for social clustering. At the opposite end of the spectrum, solitary males are sometimes found roosting alone, highlighting the flexibility of its roosting behaviour.
- Female Gould's wattled bats are able to retain fertile sperm for a considerable period, storing it for at least thirty-three days after mating. This prolonged storage means conception can occur well after the initial copulation, extending the reproductive window. Because the species can develop pregnancies in both uterine horns, the typical outcome is the birth of twins.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeAustralia and Tasmania
HabitatOpen savanna
DietInsects and moths
About the Gould's Wattled Bat
As the sun dips below the Australian horizon, the Gould's Wattled Bat stirs, its delicate wings unfolding like a dark, leathery cloak as it takes to the evening skies. With a fluttering, erratic flight, this diminutive creature dances through the twilight, its high-pitched calls echoing through the trees as it pursues the insects that will sustain it through the night. In this fleeting, crepuscular world, the Gould's Wattled Bat is a master of the margins, its very existence a testament to the beauty and resilience of life in the shadows.
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