SANParks.org Forums

Hi Folks

At the request of Arks, I am starting this thread. The same information has been placed in the Letaba thread.

Beeld and Kruger Park Times newspapers will probably carry a story about the bat situation in Letaba soon, so I thought I will inform you of the situation.

Visitors alerted KNP officials to the fact that there were dead bats near one of the "bat houses" in Letaba Rest Camp on Saturday July 14, 2007.
The section ranger for Letaba Ranger Section, Mr Joe Nkuna and his staff had also noticed dead bats, particularly around the bat house in the Ranger Post and alerted State Vet Dr Dewald Keet (from the Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Services).
Staff from the camp, in particular from People and Conservation (Ms Kirsty Redman's staff), was alerted and started collecting bat carcasses on the request of Dr Keet.
On Monday and Tuesday (July 16 - 17), 140 carcasses were picked up near the bat house at Letaba Ranger Post, 134 carcasses were picked up near the bat houses in Letaba Camp and 500-odd were found in the Linen Room of the camp.
On Wednesday (July 18 ) a further 200 carcasses were picked up all around Letaba.
On Thursday (July 19) a further 100 carcasses were picked up.
Dr Dewald Keet (State Vet, Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Services) contacted Professor Bob Swanepoel at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in Pretoria as he couldn't find any specific reason why the bats died. Dr Keet has ruled out rabies.
Prof Swanepoel and his team came to Kruger (Letaba) to investigate and arrived on Thursday July 19.
Letaba People and Conservation staff continued to find carcasses, but these were all small amounts. It is believed that they were old carcasses that have been hanging in the houses since the phenomenon started. They also investigated the bat houses and, to our surprise, it was found that more bats had moved in to these houses. These bats are still alive.
Over 1 000 bat carcasses were found in the Letaba area during that week. No new carcasses have been found since then.
In effect, we still don't know what caused the deaths but hopefully Prof Swanepoel and his team will find answers soon. As he has explained to me, there are a number of tests that will need to be carried out and answers don't necessarily come quickly. Some might only come after years of research, but this is another one of those mysteries at the moment. I have asked him to keep me in the loop so I will let everyone know as soon as there are any developments.


Notes:
- Bat Houses (or hotels) have been erected at a number of rest camps in the Kruger National Park as an environmentally-friendly way of decreasing visitor discomfort when these animals roost in tourist accommodation facilities as, it is hoped, they choose these "bat friendly" facilities rather than the tourist units. There are nine bat houses in Letaba, eight in the camp itself and one at the Ranger's Post;
- The bats found were all Angolan free-tailed bats (Mops condylurus);
- Prof Bob Swanepoel is a well known virologist from the Special Pathogens Unit of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in Pretoria.

Kind regards
KNP Spokesman

Thanks, KNPS! I will be watching developments with interest!

Thats just HORRIBLE!! I am so glad that I wasnt there to witness it because I love bats and most probably would have cried about each one..

I noticed around 10 dead bats under a bat house in Berg en Dal in June whilst doing HR duty.

I assumed that they died of cold.

Only 1 of the 6 bat houses that I checked seemed to be inhabited

Talking of bats, maybe bat hotels could be put up in 2 Rivieren in KTP. This would help get them out of the chalets there.

Thats really sad news. I am very interested to know the outcomes of all the tests being run. I work with Bats in Gauteng & wonder if we will have any problems? Also have any other camps shown the same or simialr problem? And finally is it all the same type of bat only?

Keep up the good work!

Hello and welcome Battyjack!

I think the fact that it is all one species would seem to indicate some species-specific disease or parasite.

I wouldn't be too worried, as these bats occur in their hundreds of thousands!

Plenty left in the bush!

Thanks!!
Yip...while they do occur in their thousands it is still a concern! Bats dont have many predators but one of the biggest is man....and when we kill them we tend to do it in large numbers! Such as a whole breeding colony etc.
Its fortunate that its only one type of bat at the moment but if it is something man has caused we better shake ass & sort it out before we do more damage!!
They may be small but thay are really important. It also seems that more bats have moved into the bat houses and all seems well.....so hopefully whatever it was is over!

Since it is one type of species, I think this may be an indication of extinction due to changes in climate or lack of food on any other reason.



Wild lover

Are there any more questions on this subject?? I may be able to answer them

Greetings all

I am updating the Smithers Mammals of Southern Africa Field Guide, and I want to upgrade the Angolan free-tailed bat (Mops condylurus) to a full species treatment. Penny Meaking is doing the new illustrations, and I need photographs for her to work from. To my surprise I am finding it difficult to find anyone who has pictures of Angolan free-tailed bats.

Ideally it would be good to have a nice clear shot of the whole animal, but Penny is able to combine parts from different pictures, so cropped edges, odd things in the background, and parts of human hands may not be a major problem.

As an incentive I can offer an acknowledgment in the book , and a free copy.

Please PM me.

Thank you

Peter Apps

Hi Peter

Welcome to the SANParks Forums!

Let's see whether out bat fanatics can help you?

I have posted a link to your request here.

hey peter,

I have a few pictures of Angolan free tailed bats but of them against the wall. I shall look through my collection and see if i have some of the underbelly of the bat for you.

But if i dont -is a speciman of one clinging to a wall ok?

Regards,

BM

Also let me know if you need any other bat pictures i might just have what you are looking for