Ghost bat
Ghost bat
©Bruce Thomson
Common name: Ghost bat
Scientific name: Macroderma gigas
Animal group: Insectivorous bat
Conservation status: This species is listed as 'Vulnerable' in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992).
Distribution: Distributed in tropical regions in Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia. The distribution of this species does not extend far inland, as it has in the recent past. In Queensland, ghost bats occur along the central and northern coast, from Rockhampton north to Cape York.
Description: This species is the largest of the Microchiroptera family (micro-bats) in Australia. This bat is readily identifiable by its size, either in flight or in the hand. Other distinct features of this species are its very large ears, which are joined above the head, and the light coloured fur and wing membranes. The fur colour varies from pale grey or light brown to almost white with increasing distance from the coastline. This species also has relatively large eyes, a long, simple noseleaf, and no tail. Body weight: 74-144g.
Habitat: Ghost bats occur in a wide range of habitats from rainforest, monsoon and vine scrub, to open woodlands in arid areas. These habitats are used for foraging, while roost habitat is more specific. When foraging they use perches which are less than three metres above the ground, on small branches or the main trunk of eucalypts.
Behaviour: Nocturnal, hunts prey from surfaces, and also captures insect from the air. This species does not forage only during flight, but often scans for prey from vantage points up to three metres above the ground. When prey is detected, it is captured on short flights and consumed at the original perch. Prey is consumed at a vantage point, and less palatable portions of the prey are dropped to the ground. Prey is detected by using echolocation, vision, or hearing (without echolocation). Their echolocation call is of low intensity, making it difficult to detect with a bat detector. Ghost bats make distinctive twitters and chirps in the roost and during foraging, which can indicate their presence in the forest at night. This species is remarkably quiet and still when in the hand. Appears highly sensitive to disturbance, approach of humans can cause desertion from foraging areas.
Threatening processes: Known threats to the ghost bat are disturbance to roost sites from mining operations, collapse of old mines, or human disturbance. Also suspected as threats, are reduction in prey populations related to predation from cats and foxes, or changed fire regimes.
Recovery actions:
- Prevent further disturbance to roost sites from mining activities and unnecessary human visits to roosts.
- Prevent further degradation of roosts in mines by reinforcement, or replacement of rotting timbers only outside of the breeding season.
- Clarify the status of the arid zone regional populations with genetic analysis.
Further information:
Duncan, A., Baker, G.B. and Montgomery, N. (Eds.). (1999) The Action Plan for Australian Bats. Environment Australia, Canberra.
Churchill, S. (1998) Australian bats. New Holland, Sydney.
Last updated: 31 August 2006