Hawaiian Hoary Bat (Lasiurus semotus) lives in tropical rainforest across Hawaii Islands. It feeds on insects and fruit.
Fascinating facts about the Hawaiian Hoary Bat
- The Hawaiian hoary bat is the only extant native land mammal in Hawaii, and it inhabits every major island, making it the sole terrestrial mammal across the archipelago. It occupies a wide range of habitats, from forests and agricultural fields to human-populated areas, and even near mountain summits. Its presence on all islands means it is the only bat species heard in Hawaiian airspace, so any echolocation detections belong to this subspecies.
- In 2015 the Hawaiian hoary bat was officially designated as Hawaiʻi's state land mammal. The naming followed its status as the only native terrestrial mammal and reflects the Hawaiian name ʻōpeʻapeʻa, meaning "half-leaf," which describes its distinctive body shape.
- A single Hawaiian hoary bat can travel up to 12 miles in one night while hunting, covering vast distances for a creature that weighs only 14 to 18 g. It forages primarily on forest edges, open pastures and above the canopy, using echolocation to capture insects in flight. In open environments it flies faster to chase larger prey such as moths, while in cluttered forests it slows down for greater maneuverability.
- Collisions with human structures are the chief source of death for this tiny bat, with barbed-wire fences causing more fatalities than any other obstacle. The species also strikes communication towers and wind turbines, but those incidents are less frequent. Researchers suggest bats may be drawn to turbines because the towers resemble trees or the rotating blades mimic the flight pattern of another bat, increasing the risk of impact.
- The Hawaiian hoary bat inhabits an altitude span from sea level up to 2,288 m, allowing it to occupy coastal zones as well as high-elevation areas near mountain summits that approach 4,000 m. It is found in forests, farms, pastures and even urban settings throughout this range.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeHawaii Islands
HabitatTropical rainforest
DietInsects and fruit
About the Hawaiian Hoary Bat
In the whispering twilight of Hawaii's lush forests, the Hawaiian Hoary Bat unfurls its delicate wings, a rare and elusive apparition that dances on the breeze. With a gentle, fluttering flight, it navigates the misty skies, its large eyes drinking in the faint glow of moonlight as it searches for the nectar and insects that sustain it. This fragile, imperiled creature is a haunting reminder of the beauty and fragility of life in these enchanted islands.
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