Papillose woolly bat  (Kerivoula papillosa)

This feisty bat species has a slim body with a large amount of seemingly excess skin which may help it to wriggle out of a predator's grip. The wingspan is large and the membrane stretches between the hind legs, enclosing the tail. This is known as the interfemoral membrane, and is papillose and hairless. The face is pointy and lacks a noseleaf, having instead a simple muzzle. The bat must emit echolocation pulses through its mouth, exposing the sharp, pointed teeth that are used for crushing the tough exoskeletons of insects. The ears are large and wide-set; the forehead is large and rounded and the flap of skin within the ear, known as the tragus, is long and thin. The fur is dense, smooth and long, and is dark brown on the back, golden at the tips and brown at the sides. The feet are covered with long grey hairs (3).

This species has a large range in Asia, including northeast India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi (4).

The papillose woolly bat is found in primary forest and scrub, where it feeds beneath the lower canopy and roosts in hollow trees or among leaves (5).

The female papillose woolly bat gives birth to a single pup each year, which is suckled until it can fly and forage alone. Adults feed on small insects amongst the dense vegetation. They use echolocation to navigate their surroundings and to locate their prey. Repeated ultrasonic shouts are emitted which bounce off nearby objects, returning to the bat's ears as echoes. These echoes are interpreted by the bat's brain and a picture of its environment is built up (5).

The habitat of this species is being lost as a result of human activities. Deforestation of primary rainforest is ongoing in order to create land for homes, agriculture and, importantly, oil palm. Oil palm plantations cover vast areas of Peninsula Malaysia and Borneo and are highly profitable as they produce highly versatile palm oil. Malaysia's production of palm oil has doubled in the last 20 years, whilst Indonesia's has tripled. Together they hold a large proportion of the global market, with 88% of the world exports coming from these two countries alone (6).

Deforestation of primary forest for oil palm plantations, including within protected areas, is an issue of major concern and one that relies on both governmental action and consumer concern. Some large retailers have agreed, in collaboration with the WWF, to source products containing palm oil from plantations that are not on deforested land (6). Many scientific and charitable groups contribute to bat monitoring and local education programmes that can help to reduce persecution and raise awareness of the natural assets of the land (7).

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk