Fisherman bat
The Greater bulldog bat (Noctilio leporinus) is a species of fishing bat native to Latin America. It uses echolocation to detect water ripples made by the fish upon which it preys, then uses the pouch between its legs to scoop the fish up and its sharp claws to catch and cling to it.
Greater bulldog bats are large bats and males tend to be larger than females. They also differ in fur color. Males have bright orange fur on the back while females are dull gray. However, both sexes have pale undersides and may have a pale line that runs down the middle of the back. The males do not have a baculum. The bulldog bat has rounded nostrils that open forward and down. It has elongated, pointed ears with a tragus that gets ridged at the outer edge. The bulldog bat has smooth lips but its upper lip is divided by a skin fold while its bottom lip has a wart above skin folds that extend to the chin. It is these features that give the bulldog bat its name, as it resembles a bulldog. The wing of the bat is longer than the head and body combined and 65% of its wingspan is made of the third digit. When in flight, the bat's wings move slowly. This species is a capable swimmer and will use its wings to paddle. The Greater bulldog bat also has prominent cheek pouches which are useful for holding its food. Its hind legs and feet are particularly large, capable of 180° rotation when hunting. The leg bones are significantly compressed in order to be streamlined towards the dragging direction.
Greater bulldog bats are found from Mexico to Northern Argentina and also on most Caribbean islands. They typically inhabit well-watered lowland and coastal areas as well as river basins. They are commonly found over ponds and streams as well as estuaries and coastal lagoons. They live in hollow trees and also roost in deep sea caves.
Greater bulldog bats live in colonies that number in the hundreds. Females stay together in groups while roosting and are usually accompanied by a resident male. Females associate with the same individuals in the same location for several years unaffected by changes in resident males and movements of the group to different roosts. A male may stay with a female group for 2 or more reproductive seasons. Bachelor males are segregated from the females and may roost alone or together in small groups. Females forage either alone or with their roost mates, with stable female groups continue to forage in the same areas in the long term. Males forage alone and use areas that are larger and separate from those used by the females. Greater bulldog bats are nocturnal creatures. They mostly forage for fish during high tide and locate them with echolocation. A bulldog bat will fly high in the air and in a circular direction when searching for prey. If it spots a jumping fish, the bat will drop down closer to the water surface, particularly the spot where it made the jump, and decrease the pulse duration and intervals of its echolocation signals. The bulldog bat may also search by dragging its feet across the water surface; this behavior is known as raking. The bat may rake through areas where fish jumping is most frequent or in areas where it had previously made a successful catch. Greater bulldog bats emit echolocation signals that are either at a constant frequency, frequency-modulated, or a combination of the two.
Greater bulldog bats are carnivores (piscivores, insectivores). They are one of the few bat species that has adapted to eating fish. Nevertheless, they eat both fish and insects. During the wet season, the bats feed primarily on insects like moths and beetles. During the dry season, they will primarily feed on fish as well as crabs, scorpions, and shrimp.
Male Greater bulldog bats mostly breed in autumn and winter. For females, pregnancy occurs from September until January, and lactation starts in November and continues until April. Each female gives birth to only one pup. Young bats stay in the roosts for one month and are then capable of flight. Both parents usually care for their young. Females can recognize their pups with the help of vocal signals until they become weaned at 75 to 95 days of age.
Greater bulldog bats are not considered threatened at present but they suffer from water pollution, persecution, changing water levels, cave disturbances, and deforestation.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Greater bulldog bat total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
