Kolar Leaf Nosed Bat UPSC Species In News Species In News For UPSC

Kolar Leaf Nosed Bat UPSC | Why In The News ?

Bat Conservation Society which has been entrusted with drawing up a conservation plan for Kolar Leaf-Nosed Bat. It has also been awarded a grant to conduct further research on this species of bats.

Conservation Initiatives :

Karnataka Government has notified the 30 acres around the caves as a protected area.
Hence, any development work including construction of new infrastructure will need the permission of the National Board for Wildlife.

About Kolar Leaf Nosed Bat UPSC

It is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae .
It is found in only one cave in India, and its population is less than 200 individuals.
It is endemic to India and is currently only known from one cave in Hanumanahalli village in Kolar district, Karnataka.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and caves.
Bats are vital for the ecology as they are pollinators, their main diet being nectar.
Bats also help in insect control and therefore, help in the protection of crops.

Surprising Facts About Bats

There Are More Than 1,200 Species of Bats.
Bats are usually divided into two suborders: Megachiroptera (large Old World fruit bats) and Microchiroptera (small bats found worldwide).
Bats Are the Only Mammals Capable of Flight.
Bat Droppings Can Be Used to Make Gunpowder.
Bat droppings, also known as guano, they are high in potassium nitrate (saltpeter) and are often used as fertilizer. The saltpeter can also be extracted for use in gunpowder and explosives.
Not All Bats Hang Upside Down.
Bats Aren’t Really Blind.