Go Batty in the Bundu at Ngwenya Lodge

The most interesting group of small mammals at Ngwenya (and the Kruger National Park) as well as the most important with regard to the predation of night flying insects are bats. Research elsewhere has shown that certain species of insectivorous bats are capable of consuming in the region of 1000 mosquito sized insects per hour! Did you know that these high tech marvels of the night skies comprise almost a quarter of all the mammal species in the Kruger National Park?

Unfortunately, over the millennia bats have become the victims of superstition and myth. It's easy to understand why. Firstly, they are somewhat strange in appearance resembling something like a cross between a bird and a rodent.

Secondly, like many other nocturnal creatures such as owls and hyenas they have been associated with witchcraft and the spirit world. Bats have become a symbol for countless horror tales and films and this stereotyping has molded and reinforced the commonly held perception that bats are something to be feared and avoided. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.

What kind of bats are there?

Bats can be divided into two basic groups, namely:
MEGA BATS - predominantly fruit eating bats or flying foxes
MICRO BATS - predominantly insect eating bats making up about 70% of all bat species.

South Africa has 4 species of fruit eating bats and 52 species of insectivorous bats
Three species of bats, namely Angolan free-tailed bats, Sundevall's leaf-nosed bats and Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bats roost in significant colonies at Ngwenya Lodge, Many other species also occur at and in the vicinity of the Lodge. Some of the more common species found at Ngwenya are described below.

Angolan free-tailed bat

As part of an eco-educational project Ngwenya Lodge erected bat houses for Angolan free-tailed bats to roost in. This species occurs in the greatest numbers at Ngwenya and is therefore the most obvious insectivorous bat seen at the lodge. Angolan free-tailed bats are fast, high flying species with long narrow wings and a characteristic free-hanging mouse-like tail. They can be seen at night hunting for insects in the airspace over the river and flood plain.

Angolan free-tailed bat with raised crest

Enjoying the spectacle of Angolan free-tailed bats emerging from a bat house

Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat
The 2^nd most common species of insectivorous bat at Ngwenya is Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat. This fluffy clutter feeder has broad wings which enable it to fly slowly while hunting for insects in and around dense vegetation.

Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat

Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat mother with baby at Ngwenya

Banana bat
Weighing in at between 3 and 5 grams, the Banana bat is the smallest species of bat found at Ngwenya. During the day these tiny animals roost in the unfurling leaves of banana and Streliziaplants.

Banana bat in an unfurling leaf of a banana plant

Common slit-faced bat
Another species of bat that may be seen at Ngwenya is the Common (or Egyptian) slit-faced bat. These bats with their characteristically long ears (28 to 37 mm) can be seen from time to time hanging from verandah roof beams late at night. They use chalet verandahs as temporary night roosts when resting up between bouts of feeding. Common slit-faced bats are capable of slow agile flight enabling them to hunt close to the ground and in dense vegetation. They use their acute hearing to detect scuffling sounds of prey items such as crickets, spiders and grasshoppers .

Common slit-faced bat roosting under verandah overhang

Mauritian tomb bat
From time to time, Mauritian tomb bats may be seen roosting under the eaves on the outer walls of chalets at Ngwenya. These handsome looking animals have large eyes and long, narrow transparent wings. They feed mainly on moths, butterflies and termites and occasionally forage during the day.

Mauritian Tomb bat

Long narrow wings of a Mauritian Tomb Bat with almost transparent wing membrane

Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat
In addition to insectivorous bats, larger handsome fruit bats such as Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat can be seen roosting at Ngwenya. Their distinctive pinging calls can be heard after dark. Fruit bats play a key role in dispersing seeds. In fact More than 300 species of plants in tropical Africa and Asia rely on bats for pollination and seed dispersal.

Most species of figs rely on fruit bats for seed dispersal and studies have shown that a single bat can transport and disperse up to 60 000 seeds per night, including those of valuable timber trees. In certain parts of tropical Africa seeds dropped by fruit bats have been shown to account for up to 95% of forest regrowth on cleared lands.

Colony of Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bats roosting at Ngwenya Lodge

Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat mother and baby

New Bat Discovery in South Africa at Ngwenya

Giant Yellow House Bat

Who says there is nothing new to discover in today's world? In October last year the first ever recording of a Giant Yellow House Bat (Scotophilus nigrita) in South Africa was made at Ngwenya Lodge! In a fitting tribute to his bat house building efforts, Nigel Fernsby discovered a small number of these animals roosting in some of his bat boxes built for freetailed bats at Ngwenya Lodge. Weighing in at 84 grams the Giant Yellow House Bat is now the second largest insect eating bat species in South Africa. The largest is Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat.

Dr. Merlin Tuttle examines a Komatipoort Bat House

The Lilulwane Loop (circle of bats)
Komatipoort boasts the two largest known bat houses in Africa. No one seems to remember the exact reason for their construction on railway property some forty years ago. Possibilities include guano harvesting or mosquito (and hence malaria) control. Over the years their function has been forgotten and they have fallen into neglect.

Following an inspiring talk at Ngwenya Lodge by Dr. Tuttle (executive director of Bat Conservation International), NECCTA, the local commerce and tourism association of Komatipoort, realised the potential value of these bat houses for attracting publicity and niche market tourism to the town. They subsequently named their regional tourist route "The Lilulwane Loop" (meaning The Circle of Bats). A project has been launched by NECCTA in association with key role players such as Propnet to ensure a secure future for these bat houses and the eventual realisation of their tourism potential to the town. Corporate sponsorship for their restoration is invited. Email interest to Dr. B. Whiting at wildthing@winchestermarketing.com

Bats need your help
Bats are one of nature's most interesting and ecologically important creations. They do infinitely more good than harm, yet their very existence is being threatened because of ignorance and stubborn myth. In South Africa at least 50% of our species are threatened. We need to support and acknowledge the efforts of both international and local conservation groups. Special mention must be made of Bat Conservation International who, under the direction of Dr. Merlin Tuttle, have elevated the awareness of bats and their value to mankind to such an extent that bat watching has become one of the world's fastest growing specialist wildlife interests.

For a fascinating insight into the mysterious and marvelous world of bats visit the following Bat sites:

Begin your own journey of discovery into the world of bats by getting yourself a copy of 'Bats of Southern Africa' by P.J. Taylor ( Univ of Natal Press, 2000) and join the Bat Interest Group nearest to you. Contact details for bat interest groups in South Africa are:

NATAL: Durban Bat Interest Group. Call Dr Peter Taylor, Durban Natural Science Museum on 031-3112244 or e-mail: petert@crsu.durban.gov.za

CAPE: Cape Bat (Bat Action Team). Call Drs. Gary Bronner or David Jacobs at UCT Zoology Dept. on 021-6504011 or e-mail: djacobs@botzoo.uct.ac.za

GAUTENG: Gauteng and Northern Regions Bat Interest Group. Call Nigel Fernsby, Chairman of GBIG on 012-6590087 ( fernsby@netactive.co.za ) or the Endangered Wildlife Trust on 011-6464629. (www.ewt.org.za ).

Tony Hutson (Senior Conservation Officer of the U.K. Bat Conservation Trust) and David King (bat echolocation expert and director of Stag Electronics, a company which designs and manufactures bat detectors) on a visit to Ngwenya Lodge during a bat safari to Africa.

If bats have grabbed your interest then why not arrange to go bat watching at Ngwenya Lodge. Email your interest to Dr. B. Whiting at wildthing@winchestermarketing.com

Winchester Marketing is a corporate member of the Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Gauteng Bat Interest Group.

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