Kitti’s hog-nosed bat is the smallest species of bat and arguably the world’s smallest mammal. Kitti’s hog-nosed bat was unknown to the world at large prior to 1974. Its common name refers to its discoverer, Thai zoologist Kitti Thonglongya. The mammal has a reddish-brown or grey coat, with a distinctive pig-like snout. Colonies range greatly in size, with an average of 100 individuals per cave. This mammal feeds during short activity periods in the evening and dawn, foraging around nearby forest areas for insects. Females give birth annually to a single offspring. Kitti’s hog-nosed bat is about 29 to 33 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in) in length and 2 g (0.071 oz) in mass, hence the common name of “bumblebee bat”.
Appearance
The name hog-nosed refers to the bat’s facial appearance. Their muzzle is pig-like, with two wide, crescent-shaped nostrils. Their ears are relatively large with rounded tips. They extend beyond the snout when the bat is lying forward. Their eyes are relatively small and partially hidden by fur. Hog-nosed bats have long and broad wings with pointed tips. Fur on the back may be a brown to reddish brown and its belly is typically paler. These bats have twenty-eight teeth.
Where To Find Them?
It occurs in western Thailand and southeast Myanmar, where it occupies limestone caves along rivers. In Thailand, it is restricted to a small region of the Tenasserim Hills in Sai Yok District, Kanchanaburi Province, within the drainage basin of the Khwae Noi River While Sai Yok National Park in the Dawna Hills contains much of the bat’s range.Some Thai populations occur outside the park and are therefore unprotected. Scientists know little about their reproductive behavior, or how they evade predators. It’s also unknown whether colonies stay in one cave or move around to others. This bat does use echolocation.
