Paul Carter. Posted at pacapix.com on 1 Sep 2022
Pura Goa Lawah is home to a large colony of Geoffroy’s Rousette (Rousettus amplexicaudatus) that can be seen at the cave entrance; there were an estimated +1,000 bats roosting in the cave (29 April 2015); presumed to all be the same species.
Location: This small Hindu Temple is easy to find at the base of a hill (Bukit Tengah) in Pesinggahan Village, Dawan District, Klungkung Regency. It is 50 km northeast of Denpasar on the coast; the temple is across the road from the beach. The cave is in the north part of the main temple. “Pura” in Balinese refers to a Balinese Hindu temple whilst “Goa Lawah” means Bat Cave.
ID notes, with reference to photos below and Francis (2019): claw on second digit (e.g. Ph 1067) so they are Rousettus and not Eonycteris. Ph -1068 (with reference to the right jaw of the animal on the right) seems to show third lower molar is near circular and its length less than x2 the width so it appears to not be Leschenault’s Rousette (Rousettus leschenaultii). Penis appears rounded and not flattened (e.g. Ph -1037 and -1058). Most of the photos are also posted on iNat here.
References: I have not been able to find any research papers on the species here and I am in keen to know of any research done.
- iNat (Aug 2020). NOTE: All iNat records here (as at Aug 2022), including a post by Manuel Ruedi, refer to Rousettus amplexicaudatus apart from one comment suggesting Rousettus leschenaultii.
- Francis CM (2019). Field Guide to the Mammals of South-east Asia (2nd Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing. Softcover and Kindle Edition.
Queries: Please email me at paulcarter @ pacapix.com should you have any comments on ID or know of any research or ID work done on these bats. It may be that Rousettus leschenaultii is also present?
Photos: Buckle-up … it gets graphic.
