Save the rarest bat in the world the The Sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis

The Sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis is one of only two mammals endemic to the Seychelles, this means that it cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Yet it is possibly the rarest bat in the world with only about 30-100 individuals left in Seychelles.

What needs to be done


Bats are often extremely good indicators of environment quality, thus their presence is related to the health of the habitat. Decline in bats thus could suggest further more widespread concerns. More research and studies are urgently needed to understand more about this species, and develop an action plan to save this rarest bat. Public awareness and education is also a possible way to improve the conservation status of the species.

Recent work under a project initiated by Nature Seychelles and implemented in collaboration with a group of universities in the United Kingdom confirm that previous populations of the sheath-tailed bat on Praslin and La Digue now appeared not to be present. However, the group has also discovered two previously unknown roosts. This study was able to present evidence that the sheath-tailed bat prefers mature tree stands for foraging.

The study reveals that habitat loss is not the only contributor to the decline of the species. This leads to the question of pesticide use and its’ link with prey availability. The results also underline the importance of roosts and roost protection in bat conservation, as they represent not only shelter, but a conduit for social interactions, and an important foraging area. Therefore it is not simply the roost itself that needs to be protected but also the habitat surrounding each roost.

The result of the research will be published soon. Nature Seychelles is seeking for more international funding to continue this study with a hope to reverse its fatal decline.