Ansorge's free-tailed bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ansorge's free-tailed bat |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Mops
|
| Species: |
ansorgei
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Tadarida ansorgei |
|
The Ansorge's free-tailed bat (scientific name: Mops ansorgei) is a type of bat found in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. It belongs to a bat family called Molossidae, also known as free-tailed bats. This bat was named after W.J. Ansorge, who was the first person to collect and describe this species.
What Does It Look Like?
The Ansorge's free-tailed bat is one of the smaller bats in its group. It measures about 7 to 12 cm (2.8 to 4.7 in) long from head to tail. Its wings can spread out to about 33 cm (13 in) wide.
Adult bats usually weigh around 16 g (0.56 oz). Male bats are a little heavier than females. Their fur is short and chocolate brown on their back. It is a lighter brown color on their belly. The fur on their throat is darker, sometimes almost black, especially in males.
Wings and Ears
The wings of this bat are made for flying fast, not for quick turns. Their wing membranes are light brown and you can see through them. There is a smooth pad at the bottom of their first wing finger. This pad might help the bat climb.
About two-thirds of their 4 cm (1.6 in) long tail sticks out past the edge of the uropatagium, which is the membrane between their legs. Their ears are not very long, but they are wide. The bat can lay its ears flat against its head when it flies. Their lips look wrinkled when they are resting. But they stretch out when the bat flies to help catch more insects.
Where Do They Live?
Ansorge's free-tailed bat lives in a wide area of Africa. In the north, you can find them from Ivory Coast in the west to Ethiopia in the east. They also live across eastern Africa, from Ethiopia and South Sudan down to northeastern South Africa. You can also find them further west through Zambia into northeastern Angola.
These bats usually live in dry woodland areas called savannahs. Scientists do not recognize any different types or subspecies of this bat.
How Do They Live?
Ansorge's free-tailed bats are active at night. They hunt and eat flying insects. They use a special skill called echolocation to find their food. This means they make loud, high-pitched sounds and listen for the echoes to create a picture of their surroundings.
People say these bats are quite noisy. They squeak loudly when someone gets close to them. During the day, they rest in safe places. They often hide in cracks in cliff faces, sometimes as high as 60 m (200 ft) off the ground! They also roost in buildings, like under the roofs of houses.
These bats live in groups called colonies. A colony can have several hundred bats. Sometimes, they even share their roosting spots with other types of bats, like the Madagascan large free-tailed bat.
