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Photo of rare bat another world first
A very rare bat found in the Burnett Mary region which feeds exclusively on spiders
has
 been photographed for the very first time.
Renowned wildlife photographer and publisher Steve Parish recently photographed
a Golden-tipped Bat (Kerivoula papuensis) which was in the care of Rachel Lyons,
a dedicated wildlife carer and Biodiversity Conservation Regional Coordinator
for the Burnett Mary Regional Group.
The male bat had suffered injuries after flying into a ceiling fan while hunting
on the veranda of a residence at Nobby Glen Road, Kandanga.
According to mammalogist Les Hall, who accompanied Steve Parish on the photo
shoot, spider consumption is regarded as being rare in bats and the notion that
one species feeds almost exclusively on spiders is a revelation.
“As far as I know, a close-up photo or video of a bat eating a spider has never
been taken,” he said.
“Certainly, with regards to the Golden-tipped Bat in Australia, it has never
been photographed eating a spider.”
The Golden-tipped Bat was discovered in Australia, on a cattle station southwest
of Rockhampton, by Dr Carl Lumholtz in 1884, and sighted again near Cooktown in
1897. However, after 1897 the species almost disappeared. By the 1970s, the rare
species was considered close to extinction, according to mammalogists David Ride
and Harry Frith.
With the introduction of “new” bat traps in the 1960s, serious bat surveys were
undertaken. Mistnets were used to capture species for scientific studies and with
improved distribution data, Golden-tipped Bats were listed as rare.
Ms Lyons said the bat was expected to fully recover.
 “It appeared to have suffered a badly bruised shoulder but an Xray showed no
bone fractures,” she said.
“It is such a tiny animal, with an adult body weight of only 6.5 grams.”
“It really loves eating the spiders, although it looks quite disgusting. It also likes eating a modified ’bat custard’, a special formula developed for
insectivorous bats.
To view a video of the bat feeding, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dedbLiPbO0E
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