Mammals · Chiroptera · Noctilionidae

Greater Bulldog Bat

Noctilio leporinus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The greater bulldog bat is a species of bat that lives in areas of rainforest, from Mexico to northern Argentina, including the Antilles. Another species of the same genus, the lesser bulldog bat, is an occasional fish-eater. There are three species of bat that eat fish, and their bodies are perfectly adapted to catching them. This extraordinary flying mammal goes out fishing at night.

Weight

55 g – 90 g

Size

9 cm – 13 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestOceanFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Colonial Rainforest Ocean Freshwater Mammal

18countries 57parks

Fun facts

alimentaciónIt uses echolocation to pick up the small ripples a fish makes on the surface, and takes its prey with the long claws on its hind feet.
It detects fish without seeing them: its sonar does not pass through the surface of the water, so it locates the tiny ripples and jumps that give away a fish a few centimetres down.
Its hind legs and claws are disproportionately large, to the point that in flight it looks as though it were carrying harpoons slung beneath its body.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Coastal lagoons, mangroves, estuaries, wide rivers and inshore waters of tropical America
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 35 days
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noctilio_leporinus