Seychelles sheath-tailed bat

The Seychelles sheath-tailed bat is native to the Seychelles islands and can only be found in two isolated locations. The population of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat’s is steadily declining due to loss of habitat and human expansion as a great number of caverns the bats used to roost are within human development sites, there is estimated to be less than 100 of these unique sheath-tailed bats in the world today.

The name ‘sheath-tailed’ bat comes from this bats unique tail. The tail of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat is more of a sheath that stretches between the hind legs (similar to that of flying squirrels and lizards). This sheath is used to provide extra maneuverability making the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat an unparalleled master of flight when it comes to mammals.

Seychelles sheath-tailed bat close up

Seychelles sheath-tailed bat’s can be found along the coastal regions of the Seychelles islands where they make their homes in natural cave formations. The coastal habitat is important to the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat’s as this is where they will forage for food and no discoveries of this rare bat have been made too far inland.

The Seychelles sheath-tailed bats are nocturnal so they spend their days sleeping and go out to hunt for insects and moths during the night. Not much is known about the social structure or grouping of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bats and the same goes for mating, however it is known that females usually give birth to generally one offspring per year in the rainy season which covers November through to December.