Bats in southern Africa

The 120+ species of bats known from southern Africa fall into eleven different taxonomic families, or groups of related species. Most of these eat insects, while some larger ones feed on fruit and nectar. Of the 1,420 species of bats known worldwide, only three are vampire bats, which feed on the blood of birds and other mammals. In Africa, we do not have any true vampire bats but we do have false vampire bats (unfortunately we only have one species) that eat soft and hard bodied insects.
 
We are currently updating our species information and links will be available soon:

• Fruit bats (pteropodids) 
• Leaf-nosed bats (hipposiderids)
• Trident bats (rhinonycterids)
• Horseshoe bats (rhinolophids)

• False vampire bats (megadermatids)

• Sheath-tailed bats (emballonurids)

• Slit-faced bats (nycterids)

• Free-tailed bats (molossids)

• Long-fingered bats (miniopterids)
• Cistugo bats (cistugids)

• Plain-faced bats (vespertilionids)