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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Petra Stock

The population of an endangered Australian bat suddenly dropped by up to 16%. No one knows why

Australia Bail
Southern bent-wing bat in flight with black background
Southern bent-wing bat numbers have dropped by about 16%, causing alarm among scientists studying the critically endangered microbats. Photograph: Jo Howell/Zoos Victoria

A sudden decline in critically endangered bats is troubling experts, who recorded about 5,000 fewer southern bent-wing bats than usual at Naracoorte’s “bat cave” this summer.

These tiny russet-toned microbats roost in caves and forage for insects over long distances across south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia.

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