Clear-winged woolly bat  (Kerivoula pellucida)

Aptly named, the clear-winged woolly bat is identifiable by its translucent wings. Its fur is very long and fluffy, ranging in colour from pale grey to dark brown, and fading to near white on the underside. The muzzle, which has no noseleaf, and the ears are usually a strong pinkish-yellow colour, and the teeth are sharp (2).

This species is found in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, the Philippines and Sulu Island (3).

The clear-winged woolly bat is found in the understorey and lower canopy of primary rainforest. It appears to roost in dead leaves in small groups that have close social bonds (2).

This insect-eating bat catches its prey on the wing, using an echolocation call that sweeps from a very high frequency (178 kHz) to a much lower one (58 kHz), and is repeated extremely rapidly. Its wing shape is perfect for a high degree of control in flight, making the bat relatively slow but highly manoeuvrable amongst the vegetation (2).

Breeding occurs all year round and, like most bat species, the mother gives birth to a single pup, which weighs around a quarter of her weight. At the beginning of its life, the pup clings to its mother's belly as she forages but is soon able to fly alongside her and catch its own prey. After one year the young clear-winged woolly bats are able to breed (4).

The rapid increase in land devoted to growing oil palm has resulted in extensive loss of primary forest. Together, Malaysia and Indonesia export 88% of the world's palm oil, for use in products such as margarine, lipstick and detergent. Deforestation continues at a steady rate for conversion to agricultural land and building communities and, despite the contribution of many bats in the control of insect crop pests, persecution of bats is also a threat (5).

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 and consumer action. Some large retailers have agreed, in collaboration with the WWF, to source products containing palm oil from plantations that are not on deforested land (5). 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 (4).

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