Big-eared Wooly Bat
Encyclopedia
The Big-eared Woolly Bat (or (Peter's) Woolly False Vampire Bat), Chrotopterus auritus, is a bat
species native to Central
and South America
, where it is found from southern Mexico
to northern Argentina
, Paraguay
and southern Brazil
. It is monotypic within its genus.
They are large predatory bats, the second largest bat species in the neotropics, and feed on fruits, beetles, moths, lizards, small mammals (including opossums and rodent
s), birds (including passerine
birds) and other bat species. They can take prey of up to 70 g weight, but usually feed on smaller vertebrates of 10 to 35 g.
This bat species lives in warm subtropical forests, usually roosting in caves and hollow logs where they, sometimes, bring their prey to eat. Sometimes they cannot be found in disturbed forests.
Big-eared Woolly Bats fly slowly, partially because of their size, flying at 1 or 2 meters above ground and usually in dense thickets. They give birth to a single young after a gestation period of more than 100 days. Colonies size vary between one to seven individuals, consisting of a male-female adult pair and young(s).
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
species native to Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, where it is found from southern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and southern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is monotypic within its genus.
They are large predatory bats, the second largest bat species in the neotropics, and feed on fruits, beetles, moths, lizards, small mammals (including opossums and rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s), birds (including passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
birds) and other bat species. They can take prey of up to 70 g weight, but usually feed on smaller vertebrates of 10 to 35 g.
This bat species lives in warm subtropical forests, usually roosting in caves and hollow logs where they, sometimes, bring their prey to eat. Sometimes they cannot be found in disturbed forests.
Big-eared Woolly Bats fly slowly, partially because of their size, flying at 1 or 2 meters above ground and usually in dense thickets. They give birth to a single young after a gestation period of more than 100 days. Colonies size vary between one to seven individuals, consisting of a male-female adult pair and young(s).