Bats About Bats

Bats are found worldwide and there are over fifty species in Australia. Bats are the only mammals able to fly.

Bats use ultra-sonic echo-locating pulses during flight to avoid obstacles and to catch flying insects. In human terms, it may mean being able to perceive things in an uncommon way; for example, the ability of synethesia where the senses are mixed (sounds have colors, or numbers a sound or smell.) Be open to experiencing the world around you in different or new ways.

Bats emerging from a cave or tree represents the archetypal energies of consciousness breaking out of a limited, enclosing perspective to soar in the limitless expanse of the universe. Think of Homer’s analogy of the cave. If you encounter Bat leaving his nesting place, be prepared for some changes in your life which may broaden your views.

Macroderma gigas

The ghost bat is endemic to Australia, our largest microbat and the second-largest in the world. They have pale grey to light brown fur, translucent wing membranes and large ears that joined at the top of the head.

Habitat

The ghost bat used to be distributed across most of inland Australia but it is now restricted to tropical northern Australia. It is believed this is caused by isolation and long-term climate change and changed land management practices. They are vulnerable to barbed wire fences. Ghost bats are cave-swelling bats and maternity colonies can get over 1000 individuals. As well as insects, they will eat birds, bats, small mammals, frogs and geckos. Ghost bats are known to take their food back to their cave to eat in safety.

Breeding

Females give birth to only one young every year during July to September.

Predators and Threats

Quolls, dingoes and pythons. Loss of old mines and caves, barbwire fences, tree clearing and wildfires.