BATS

well since I couldn't search info from e-journal from UKM, I might as well share a little about my bat.

This cute creature of mine is found in limestone complex of Gunung Senyum, Pahang. There are approximately 20 caves in Gunung Senyum.

I am doing my research at this particular cave called Gua Gudang Kelawar. We have to track to oil palm estate and low land forest to the cave. It is an interesting trip to go in. :D

There are 2 caves in this particular space. The front cave is called Gua Piala and as you track in a little more into the cave, and there is another cave called Gua Gudang Kelawar. So, by the name of the cave you would know the whole cave is filled with bats!

I present you Miniopterus schreibersii.

 This is my little creature. :D 

They are common insectivorous bats that feeds on insects. Besides that, they eat up about 3000 insects. They are cave-dwellers. They roost (which means stay for bats) in the cave in clusters. They would occupy the whole ceiling of the cave and roost very near to each other.

So it would look something like this. Just that this one had been disturbed by us. So, most of them will fly around the cave and echolocating too. Take this picture and times 7 folds. Now, you know how many of them in the caves.

It is fairly easy to catch this bats, as the structure of the cave is fairly low. Once the bats are disrupted they would fly around my friend and I. We will attempt to catch them with hand nets. :D Few sweeps with the hand nets on air allows us to catch about 20 of them at one time. :D Amazing huh? They are very tiny, and have tiny little mouth and teeth. One good thing is I do not need to worry of getting bitten by any of them as they are so small. :D

These small creatures have an extremaly large ectoparasite or in other words KUTU. haha..But, no worries. The fleas are bat specific. So, I wouldn't get any fleas after going for field trips. Thank God!

walaaaa~ flea on the little creature

I do enjoy my field trips. It is something what I had in mind during my undergraduate years. So, now given a chance to go for field trips I enjoyed every bit of it. :D 

 Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl 1817)

a tribute to Kuhl for finding the name for this particular species.

little creature taking time to revive to fly off again. :D