Bali mammal records (Indonesia, 2004-2022)

SUMMARY: My mammal highlight of various trips to Bali was Dugong whilst surfing at Uluwatu (2004). On this trip and others, including two months in 2015, I saw 12 species of mammal. Most of the records below are from 2015.

Paul Carter: paulcarter@pacapix.com. Posted 5 Sep 2022 (format revised Dec 2024).

CONTENTS:
A) Mammal List
B) Sites
South Bali: Uluwatu Beach, Uluwatu Temple, Jimbaran Beach Area, Balangan Temple Cave.
Central Bali and East Bali: Alas Kedaton, Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Bedugul Botanical Gardens, Pura Goa Lawah, Tanah Lot Temple, West Bali National Park.
West Bali: Tanah Lot Temple (18 April 2015)
C) References
D) Mammal images

A. MAMMAL LIST
Mammals seen are listed below with images shown in Section D

Dugong (Dugong dugon). At Uluwatu Beach (a separate post).
Asian House Shrew (Suncus murinus). At Jimbaran. Image below.
Horsfield’s Tree Shrew (Tupaia javanica). At Bedugul Botanical Gardens.
Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus). At various sites including Bukit and West Bali NP.
Black Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor). At West Bali NP. Image below.
Geoffroy’s Rousette (Rousettus amplexicaudatus). At Pura Goa Lawah (a separate post).
Horsfield’s Fruit Bat (Cynopterus horsfieldii) / Greater Short-nosed Fruit-Bat (Cynopterus sphinx). At Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis). At Jimbaran. ID not confirmed. Image below.
Black-bearded Tomb Bat (Taphozous melanopogon). At Balangan Temple. Image below.
Asian Whiskered Myotis (Myotis muricola). At Jimbaran.
Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis). At various sites e.g. Uluwatu Temple and Ubud. Images below.
East Javan Silvered Langur (Trachypithecus auratus). At West Bali NP (about 8 seen).

B. SITES

i) South Bali

Site 1: Uluwatu Beach.
Uluwatu Beach is a popular surf spot on the Bukit Peninsula (Bali). When surfing here in January 2004 (small surf, only about 3-foot) I saw the back of a Dugong (Dugong dugon) break the surface about 15m away. An hour later when back on the cliff-top I looked down and had clear views of it feeding on the seagrass. I don’t recall seeing Dugong mentioned in any Bali mammal-watching reports but various YouTube links show that Dugong are still present; these YouTube links shown in my short report here.

Site 2: Uluwatu Temple.
When visiting it is worth keeping an eye out for Dugong and distant cetaceans e.g. Eden’s Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin and Spinner Dolphin. Mustika et al (2021) note that at least 15 species of cetaceans have been seen in the waters around Bukit Peninsula. Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is resident.

Site 3: Jimbaran Beach Area (2015)
– Asian House Shrew (Suncus murinus) @ Jimbaran: Jalan Segara Wangi (10 Apr 2015; 5 May 2015); one found in the villa pantry, relocated to the garden.
– Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus) @ Jimbaran Beach: Belmond Hotel (29 May 2015).
– Asian Whiskered Myotis (Myotis muricola) @ Jimbaran: Jalan Segara Wangi (23 April 2015).
– Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) @ Jimbaran Beach: Belmond Hotel (29 May 2015), seen roosting in the palm trees; common; photos below: They were relatively small suggesting they are Lesser and not Greater Short-nosed Fruit-Bat; ID not confirmed.

Site 4: Balangan Temple Cave (2015)
This small temple is on Balangan Beach (NW corner of Bukit Peninsula).
Black-bearded Tomb Bat (Taphozous melanopogon): photographed 10 May 2015; over 200 in the temple cave entrance; tail tip bulbous/swollen; wing attaches above ankle; some show black throats (photos below). Long-winged Tomb Bat also occurs in the region. As at June 2022 there were no posts of either species on iNat. My iNat post (June 2022) shows the location.
Location: This small temple is on Balangan Beach (NW corner of Bukit Peninsula).

ii) Central Bali and East Bali

Site 5: Alas Kedaton (2015)
I visited this temple (25 April 2015) to look for flying-fox reported there but saw none. Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is common and habituated around the temple; one mother was carrying a dead newborn (photos below) and brought it to us seemingly for help; another was jumping off a roof into the small pond and swimming underwater.

Site 6: Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (2015)
A small temple complex in the forest also known as “Ubud Monkey Forest” and in Balinese “Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal”. It is known for the habituated macaques and sexually explicit stone carvings.
– Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis): common and habitauated.
– Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus).
– Short-nosed Fruit Bat sp (Cynopterus sp): about 50 fruit bats (Horsfield’s or Greater Short-nosed?) in the main hall of the temple.
Location: Jl. Monkey Forest No.78, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud. Opens: 8.30 AM.

Site 7: Bedugul Botanical Gardens (2004, 2015)
Horsfield’s Tree Shrew (Tupaia javanica): I saw one in trees on the lawn area 50 m south of the cactus building (Taman Kaktus Kebun Raya Bali); it is also seen in forest along the road in the southwest part of the park.
Location and Access: Google Maps shows the entry gate as “Kebun Raya Bali”. The ticket-office at the boom gate opens at 8 AM or earlier on holidays but was open at 7 AM when I visited (2015). Paths access the forest behind the gardens e.g. the trail starting on the road about 200m uphill from Taman Usada (medicine garden). Refer to the AllTrails.com maps for various trails.

Site 8: Pura Goa Lawah (April 2015)
A large colony of Geoffroy’s Rousette (Rousettus amplexicaudatus) can be seen at the cave entrance. I posted a short report with ID comments and photos here.

iii) West Bali

Site 9: Tanah Lot Temple (18 April 2015)
I visited midday on 18 April 2015 and did not see any “habituated Flying Foxes” that have been reported here. Wrinkle-lipped Bat (Chaerephon plicatus) roost in the cliffs and emerge en masse in the evening.
Location: on the west coast.

Site 10: West Bali National Park (April, 2015)
I briefly visited (Apr 2015) did a 4 hour walk in forest and savannah (using a local guide); birds seen included Bali Starling. Mammals seen in the area were:
– Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus).
– East Javan Silvered Langur (Trachypithecus auratus): about 8 seen. In iNat as “Javan Lutung”.
– Black Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor).
Other mammals known in the area include Rusa Deer and Javan Porcupine.

C. REFERENCES

Francis CM (2019). Field Guide to the Mammals of South-east Asia (2nd Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing.
Mustika PLK, Williams R, Kadarisman HP, Purba AO, Maharta IPRF, Rahmadani D, Faiqoh E, Dewantama IMI (2021). A Rapid Assessment of the Marine Megafauna Biodiversity Around South Bali, Indonesia. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:606998. doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.606998

Return to Contents

D. MAMMAL IMAGES