Mammal
Mammal
Tent-making Bat
Uroderma bilobatum
The Tent-making Bat is a small, strikingly striped fruit bat best known for engineering its own shelter, biting through the ribs of large palm and Heliconia leaves so they collapse into a tent-like roof under which small colonies roost.
The Tent-making Bat is a small, strikingly striped fruit bat best known for engineering its own shelter, biting through the ribs of large palm and Heliconia leaves so they collapse into a tent-like roof under which small colonies roost. Its handiwork is often easier to spot in Trinidad's forests than the bat itself.
Identification
A small bat with a forearm length of around 40 to 45 mm, brownish-grey fur, and bold white facial stripes above and below the eyes along with a pale stripe down the centre of the back, distinguishing it from most other fruit bats. It has no external tail and a simple triangular nose-leaf.
Ecology
Builds distinctive "tents" by biting a line of parallel cuts along the ribs of large leaves, most often from palms, Heliconia, and banana relatives, causing the leaf to fold downward and create a sheltered space beneath. Small harem groups of one male and several females roost under a single tent, moving to a new one every few weeks as leaves wilt. It feeds mainly on fig and other fruit, foraging within a limited radius of its roost.
Status in T&T
Found in forest, forest edge, and plantations with suitable large-leaved plants across Trinidad. Not threatened, and a useful indicator of structurally diverse vegetation given its dependence on specific leaf shapes for roosting. It is protected as native wildlife under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
Threats
- Loss of large-leaved understory plants used for tent construction
