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SPECIES PROFILE

Gould's Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii)

Chalinolobus

IUCN STATUS

Least Concern

Gould's Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) — Widespread across mainland Australia

CONSERVATION STATUS

Least Concern

CLASS

Mammalia

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Widespread across mainland Australia

DIET

Insectivorous

HABITAT

Forests, woodlands, and urban areas; roosts in tree hollows or buildings

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Mammalia

ORDER

Chiroptera

FAMILY

Vespertilionidae

GENUS

Chalinolobus

📋 Description

SIZE

Body length 5-7 cm, wingspan 25-30 cm, weighs 7-13 grams

COLORATION

Dark brown to black fur, with slightly lighter underparts

ADAPTATIONS

Well-adapted for flight with sharp, curved claws for roosting

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Forests, woodlands, and urban areas; roosts in tree hollows or buildings

DIET

Insectivorous

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Widespread across mainland Australia

REPRODUCTION

Female gives birth to 1-2 young in summer, flight-ready at 6 weeks

DIET DETAILS

Eats flying insects like moths, beetles, and flies

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Habitat loss, roost disturbance, pesticide use affecting food

💡 Interesting Facts

1

Night Hunters: Gould’s wattled bats catch 500 moths nightly in Royal Botanic Garden, their 7-gram bodies using echolocation at 50 kHz. Their millions-strong population, roosting in 100-bat colonies, faces pesticide threats, reducing insect prey by 20%.

2

Urban Roosters: In Ku-ring-gai Chase, they hang in tree hollows, foraging at 30 km/h in Kings Park’s woodlands, with females birthing 10 pups over a lifetime. Their adaptability to urban areas ensures survival, though roost destruction impacts 15% of colonies.

🔭 Sighting Guide

📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT

Royal Botanic Garden in Victoria Melbourne has Yarra River areas for bat foraging at dusk

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in New South Wales near West Head is active for bat sightings at night

Kings Park in Western Australia Perth offers woodlands for bat sightings on evening walks

🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT

September-March. Spring and summer increase bat activity in urban parks for foraging.

🎯 SIGHTING TIPS

Use bat detectors at dusk to locate roosting bats in trees.