Gould's Wattled Bat found at Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve Highfields

A small bat specimen was found on a cold windy Sunday, 6th July 2014 about 2pm under the big tree near the Rogers Drive entrance to the Charles and Motee Rogers Reserve, Highfields by Greg Lukes.  Greg reports that it had rained 1.6mm on the Saturday 5th then was a cold windy day on the Sunday 6th. Greg collected the specimen and passed it on to Rod Hobson (Resource Ranger, South West Region, Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service Department of National Parks) for identification.

Rod kindly had a look at the bat specimen and has informed Greg that it is in fact a Gould’s Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) (adult female), FA 43.63 mm. The specemin was retained for the Queensland Museum’s reference collection and Rod also put the record on their database, WildNet. Greg has been credited with the record in both instances. Well done Greg!

Many thanks to Rod Hobson for his expertise in identifying this bat and to Greg Lukes for finding it, and passing it on to Rod for positive identification.  (Photo to come)

Gould's Watled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) is named after the English Naturalist John Gould. They live in small colonies of up to 30 and can be found in tree hollows. They are one of the most common bats in south-eastern Australia. They can travel more than 10km from their roost when foraging for insects at night. They diet is varied and can include moths, cockroaches, stoneflies, crickets, cicada and many other flying and non flying insects. They have a swift and direct flight battern, but when feeding the bat circles and dives. The main predators and threats to the Gould's Wattled Bat are Cats, carpet pythons, goannas, hawks, owls and butcherbirds, Loss of tree hollows and wildfire.

(Information Sources: Greg Lukes, Rod Hobson - Resource Ranger, Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service, Wildlife of Greater Brisbane by Queensland Museum, www.allaboutbats.org.au)

J.Gray.