Bastar: Ornithologists have recently reported sightings of a rare Kerivoula Picta bat (painted bat) in Chhattisgarh's Kanger Valley National Park. The sighting is significant to the national park in Bastar which is widely known for its rich biodiversity comprising several rare species of wild animals, birds, trees, and plants.
Ravi Naidu, bird researcher said that the colourful species of bat was yet to be given a proper name and commonly known as painted bat while scientists always referred to by its scientific name i.e., Kerivoula Picta. "These are mostly found in dry areas or treehouses. Their weight is only 5 grams. This bat with 38 teeth only eats insects." The species of the bat was first spotted in Kerala in 2019, then in Odhisa in 2020, he added.
Also read: Karnataka: Rare Eurasian griffon vulture released after recovery
Shakeel Rizvi, a visitor, was appreciative about the wildlife preserved here and some advice to the management. "When I saw the bats, the kind of negativity I had associated with them, all vanished. These beautiful-looking bats in orange and black colors attract a large audience," he said. "Bats of this rare species could be seen in the dense forests inside the park. The park management needs to take concrete steps for their promotion and protection," he suggested.
National Park Director and DFO, Ganveer Dhammshil said that "the department has been continuously making efforts for the conservation and promotion of rare species of birds and wildlife housed here in this National Park. Spotting of Kerivoula Picta bats in the National Park is a great achievement for the entire state."
The painted bat or Kerivoula Picta or painted wooly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is also known as "butterfly bat" "rongin chamchika" (coloured bat) or "komola-badami chamchika" (orange-brown bat) in Bengali. It is found in arid woodland of Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
