Heller's Broad-nosed Bat

Fascinating facts about the Heller's Broad-nosed Bat

• From sea level up to 3,167 m, Heller's broad-nosed bat spans the entire neotropical belt, from southern Mexico through Panama into Brazil's Amazon Basin, Peru and even Trinidad. It roosts in caves, hollow trees and even abandoned buildings, but it also builds its own "tents" by chewing the midrib of large leaves so the tips droop and form a shelter. The tents described by Tello and Velazco (2003) were an average of 50 cm long with the opening diameter an average of 37 cm.
• Weighing just 15.6 g, and measuring 58.2 mm from nose to tail, this tiny flyer sports a 304 mm wingspan. Its ears are 17.1 mm long, and the triangular tragus that hangs from each ear measures between 4.3 mm and 5.7 mm, a quarter to a third of ear length.
• Heller's broad-nosed bat reproduces twice a year, with breeding windows from March-April and again July-August, matching the transition from the dry to the wet season. Females carry one to two pups after a gestation that lasts between 105 and 125 days, and they reach sexual maturity at roughly 381 days (about nine months). This bimodal, polyestrous cycle means a single female can potentially raise two litters in a year.
• Despite its small size, Heller's broad-nosed bat enjoys a surprisingly long life: in the wild individuals average 16.5 years, and in captivity they average 19 years. Mirrors the lifespan of its close relatives, the greater spear-nosed bat (18 years in the wild) and the common vampire bat (about 15 years in the wild, 19 years in captivity).
• In a study of Mexican leaf-nosed bats, researchers found that species with lower natural abundances are most vulnerable to forest fragmentation, and Heller's broad-nosed bat was one of the species surveyed. While some bats decline sharply when continuous forest is broken up, those that can travel longer distances or tolerate disturbed habitats may actually thrive.

At a glance

About the Heller's Broad-nosed Bat

In the twilight skies of Central America, the Heller's Broad-nosed Bat emerges, its dark silhouette fluttering with a soft, leathery rustle as it navigates the dense forest canopy with ease. With each beat of its wings, this diminutive creature embarks on a nocturnal dance, its large, rounded ears twitching to pinpoint the faint echoes that guide it through the darkness in search of succulent fruits and nectar. As it flits from tree to tree, its broad, flat nose leads the way, a remarkable adaptation that allows it to expertly sniff out the ripest treasures in the tropical night.

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