By: RV

Family, Genus, Species?  The only living member of the family, Craseonycteridae  Belongs to the genus, Craseonycteris  Part of the species, Thonglongyai

Physiology  This bat is approximately 1.1 to 1.3 inches in length and 2 grams in mass  Swollen, pig-like nose  Large ears  Eyes are mostly covered by brown or gray fur  Possibly the smallest mammal in the world

Natural Habitat  The hog-nosed bat occupies limestone caverns along rivers in Thailand and much of its population is protected in the Sai Yok National Park  They are typically solitary creatures that dwell on the ceilings of caves

Group Size  Varies from as few as 10 to 500  Most groups have approximately 100 members  Due to their small group size, when a group is attacked it is incredibly difficult for the hog-nosed bat to regroup in order to breed with other bats

Symbiotic Relationships  Little is known about the predators of the hog- nosed bat although some suspect that predators include birds of prey  The hog-nosed bat typically preys upon small insects

Sources of Energy  The hog-nosed bat’s source of energy is primarily small insects which they are able to feed upon while still in flight

Reproduction & Benefits  Very little is known about the reproductive habits of the hog-nosed bat but they are known to produce only one offspring per year  Their slow reproductive rate does not help their declining population and is not a benefit to their species

Common Threats  Forest destruction is the main cause of endangerment  The annual burning of the forest is most harmful to their population  Since the 1950’s, the forests surrounding the caverns in which they live have been massively destroyed leaving almost none of their natural habitat

Endangerment  Due to the massive loss of wilderness, these bats are severely endangered and at risk of extinction  Such little is known about the hog-nosed bat, that no efforts are being made to protect their habitats, leaving their numbers to dwindle to extinction  Current populations are expected to range between a weak 2,000 to 4,000 members  This mammal has been listed as one of ten animals for investigation by the “Edge of Existence Programme” in 2007

Why are they important?  These animals are (debatably) the smallest mammal in the world  This organism does not have any known service that other species cannot equally provide

Sources  nosed_bat nosed_bat  /bats/bumblebee_bat.html /bats/bumblebee_bat.html  s/species_info.php?id=49