Written by Syuhada Sapno
Photos by Syuhada Sapno
Lesser short-nosed fruit bat, Cecadu pisang
Cynopterus brachyotis
It has a dog-like face with large eyes, and brown fur. Males have a distinct dark orange collar whereas females are yellowish. It primarily feeds on fruits by sucking out the juices and soft pulp. It spits out seeds and fibrous matter in a flat and oval-shaped pellet. The lesser short-nosed fruit bat feeds on fruits such as mangoes, bananas and durian.
Lesser Asiatic yellow bat, Kelawar rumah
Scotophilus kuhlii
The difference between this species and the lesser short-nosed fruit bat is that this one has a blunt muzzle whereas the fruit bat has a slightly pointed snout. Its fur is yellowish to light brown in colour. It is well-adapted to urban spaces.
Local name: Cecadu pisang
Activity pattern: Nocturnal
Ecological function: Seed disperser, pollinator
Level in food chain: Primary and secondary consumer
Feeding behaviour: Omnivore
Food items: Small fruits, figs, nectar
Microhabitat: Normally roosts at ceilings of homes. You can identify a roosting site by looking for droppings they leave behind. In the wild, they roost on the underside of a broad leaf such as banana leaf.
Local name: Kelawar rumah
Activity pattern: Nocturnal
Ecological function: Prey-predator relationship
Level in food chain: Secondary consumer
Feeding behaviour: Insectivore
Food items: Insects like bees, wasps, flies, beetles, moths
Microhabitat: Roosts in groups in hollow trees, attics, abandoned buildings
Urban Biodiversity Initiative (UBI) 