
Tickell’s Bat (Hesperoptenus tickelli), a rare species unseen in Sri Lanka for 60 years, has been rediscovered alive, according to Dr. Taraka Kusuminda from the University of Colombo’s Department of Zoology.
Dr. Kusuminda revealed that this species had not been recorded in Sri Lanka since 1963 and was classified as “data deficient” in the Red Data Register.
This small bat, part of the Vespertilionidae family, was once commonly found in dry, wet, and intermediate ecological zones but had no confirmed sightings since 1963.
Specimens collected in 1963 are preserved at the Colombo National Museum.
Recently, three individuals of this species were documented at separate locations: Eknaligoda in Kuruvita, Halloluwa in Kandy, and Hokandara in Colombo.
Dr. Kusuminda noted that this bat is known to roost among the leaves of tall, large-leaved plants, but due to a lack of data over the past 58 years, little is understood about its behavior, habitat, or lifestyle.
The rediscovery provides an opportunity to study and protect this elusive bat species, which holds ecological significance.