Mauritian Tomb Bat

Bats and rodents are not everyone’s cup of tea, but in South Africa’s wild places they’re very much at home and a crucial component of the ecosystem. During our visit to the Kruger National Park in December 2021 we were lucky, though not all equally happy 😉 , to bump into a few of them in and around Satara Rest Camp.

The Red Veld Rat (aka Red Rock Rat) sauntered closer to Marilize while I was busy taking pictures of the Brown-backed Tree Frog one night.

We seem to be more forgiving of rodents that roam during the daylight, like these cute and cuddly Southern African Tree Squirrels.

Southern African Tree Squirrel

Southern African Tree Squirrel sneaking a drink

Squirrel hijacking our car while we were having a picnic

Now Bats again are a different story. I’ve heard them being referred to as the “rats of the air”. If you could look past their appearance, often smelly colonies, and the fact that they are indeed carriers of some pretty serious diseases, they are actually a quite fascinating and diverse group of creatures!

As yet unidentified insect-eating bat that unfortunately grounded itself

The identity of this insect-eating bat, roosting against a tree trunk, has me stumped.

Free-tailed Bat juvenile that fell from the roost (photo by Joubert)

Epauletted Fruit Bats

Mauritian Tomb Bat

Mauritian Tomb Bats (photo by Joubert)

Mauritian Tomb Bats

Taphozous mauritianus

When we found a small colony of Mauritian Tomb Bats on the outside walls of the reception office at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park’s Nyalazi Gate, it presented a good opportunity to learn a bit more about this seldomly seen creature.

Mauritian Tomb Bats are quite large for insectivorous bats, weighing as much as 36g and up to 11cm long. They occur in the moist savanna areas of north-eastern South Africa, further north into Central and East Africa, as well as on a few of the islands of the Indian Ocean. By day they roost in small, loosely associated groups on the shaded walls of buildings or on tree trunks, and not in caves or tombs as their name might suggest. At night they forage for moths and other nocturnal invertebrates, which they catch and eat in flight.

Most females raise a single baby at a time, though some do give birth twice annually. Dependent young cling to the mother as she flies around and at their roost, but as soon as they can fly themselves they become autonomous.