The heart-nosed bat (Cardioderma cor ) is a species of bat in the family Megadermatidae. It is monotypic within the genus Cardioderma. It is found in eastern Sudan, north Tanzania, and south Zambia. In an experiment conducted in 2017, it was concluded that heart-nosed bats emit vocalizations or "sing" as a way to establish their foraging areas and actively defend these territories from other bats of the same species.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
In
InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Mo
MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
Co
ColonialColonial animals live in large aggregations composed of two or more conspecific individuals in close association with or connected to, one another....
So
SocialNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
H
starts withHeart-nosed bats weigh 21–35 g (0.74–1.23 oz) and are 70–77 mm (2.8–3.0 in) in length. Heart-nosed bats have blueish/grayish fur. Their fur also hangs off of their body and is considered to be long and loose. These bats have no tails, unlike most other species of bats. Some of the most recognizable features of this species is its teeth and skull, as well as its heart-shaped nose.
The heart-nosed bat typically occupies areas that are in dry lowlands, coastal strips, and river valleys. Places of interest that the bats tend to gather in the daylight hours are abandoned buildings, dry caves, or baobab trees. They are also found living no higher than 940 meters or 3094 feet in elevation. Heart-nosed bats live in large colonies together, but they are very territorial and do not mingle with other bat species.
Heart-nosed bats are nocturnal. Depending on when the sun sets, they will wake up and start making their way to their feeding zones. They will typically do this a couple minutes before the sun actually sets. These bats have a strategy called "hawking" that allows them to collect bugs. They also use a "sit-and-wait" strategy. The sit-and-wait strategy involves hanging from a perch and waiting until an insect comes along to be preyed upon. The sit-and-wait strategy is usually used during the dry season. Hawking is usually used when the wet seasons are happening. During the dry season, the heart-nosed bats diet primarily consists of terrestrial beetles and leaf gleaning. The most common beetles that are fed on are the Scarabeidae, Tenebrionidae, and the Carabidae. During the wet season, the heart-nosed bat's diet primarily consists of large terrestrial beetles, locusts, katydids, moths, small bats, and frogs. These bats mainly stick to themselves and do not mingle with other species. The cause of this is unknown. There are no known predators that actively seek out heart-nosed bats. However, common predators such as snakes, cats, and owls will prey on the young pups if the opportunity arises. Heart-nosed bats also take time out of the day to groom themselves and others. It is unknown if this helps increase the social bond between the bats as it would in other species.
Heart-nosed bats are monogamous. If possible, mates will stay together during multiple mating seasons. Breeding sites are extremely territorial and are typically protected by the males. These sites are set up during the breeding season itself and afterwards it will be taken down. A new breeding site will be found for the next mating season. The female period of gestation is three months. Baby bats are referred to as pups. Heart-nosed bats can only have one pup at a time. Females, like all mammals, feed their young via lactation. Females will carry their newborns until two months of age. After the third month, the pup is weaned from its mother and will then follow the mother around. The pup learns from its mother about foraging and territories that will allow them to be successful later in their life. The father's parental behavior is mostly unknown, but it is thought that the songs and territorial protection is protection of the mother and their young. The prime reproduction months happen between March and June and then again between October and December. These months are in the rainy season months and make the best mating months for heart-nosed bats.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...