Living inside the hollows and deep crevices of the trunks of our tallest and oldest eucalypts are our smallest bats – in fact some of Australia’s smallest mammals; micro bats. Space permitting, up to 50 of them may share the same tree hollow.
Tasmania boasts eight different species of bats, one of which is only found here and no where else in the world. They can be seen flying between the trees just after dusk, like big moths, zipping around feasting on insects.
Scientific names
- Little forest bat - Vespadelus vulturnus
- Southern forest bat - Vespadelus regulus
- Large forest bat - Vespadelus darlingtoni
- Chocolate wattled bat - Chalinolobus morio
- Goulds wattled bat - Chalinolobus gouldii
- Lesser long-eared bat - Nyctophilus geoffroyi
- Tasmanian long-eared bat - Nyctophilus sherrini
- Eastern false pipistrelle - Falsistrellus tasmaniensis
Where can I see them?
Bats are widespread in Tasmania, particularly near forests.