A rare species of bat, known as the Painted Bat, has been found in Mahabaleshwar. This rare bat was discovered in the house of Sarfaraz Sheikh, a resident of Mahabaleshwar city, and was later handed over to the Forest Department. The Forest Department then released it in its natural habitat in Mahabaleshwar.
Upon seeing the bat, named the Painted Bat, and noticing its color, Sarfaraz realized that it was different from the usual bats. He caught the bat with the help of a jar and first informed the Mahabaleshwar Forest Department office about the discovery. The bat was then taken to the Forest Department office in Mahabaleshwar and handed over to the authorities.
Released in wild
The bat is orange in color, with black triangular stripes on its wings, and its body length is three to five cm. The Forest Department found that this bat has 38 teeth and weighs 50 grams. This bat is mainly found in areas such as banana trees, caves, dry forests, and corners of huts, and its main food is small insects. A pair of these bats can take care of only one chick at a time, and these bats live in groups of five to six.
Most of Mahabaleshwar is covered by forests, river valleys, and there are also many rocky areas. Various species of bats can be seen in the caves of the Tapola area and the rocky areas near Mahabaleshwar city, as well as in the urban areas. The bat was released into their natural habitat in Mahabaleshwar by Forest Guard Lahu Raut, Forest Guard Narmesh Gade, and forest officials under the guidance of Mahabaleshwar Forest Range Officer Ganesh Mahangade.
