News: Wroughton’s free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtoni) has been sighted for the first time in northern India at Delhi’s Yamuna Biodiversity Park.
About Wroughton’s free-tailed Bat
- It is a highly rare species of molossid bat.
- Characteristics: This species is distinguished by its large size, prominent ears extending beyond the muzzle, and bicolored velvet-like fur.
- Habitat- The bat typically roosts in caves or dark, damp, and slightly warm environments, often forming colonies of moderate size.
- Distribution:
- Primary Range: Found mainly in the Western Ghats, where a single known breeding colony exists.
- Other Sightings: Small colonies have been observed in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, and a lone individual was reported in Cambodia.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN: Listed as Data Deficient. Previously classified as Critically Endangered (until 2000) due to the sole known population in the Western Ghats.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
- Ecological Significance: The species plays a vital role in regulating insect populations and contributes to plant pollination.
