Bats

Inside the Hato Cave live two sorts of rare bats: one is the Long-Tongued Bat and the other is the Long-Nosed Bat.

The Long-Tongued Bat (Glossophaga longirostris) is a medium-sized bat measuring up to 85mm in length, has big eyes and a long tongue that extends to 1/3 of its body length!

Long-Nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) are relatively small bats, with a total length as adults of around 80mm and weighing just between 15 and 25 grams. The tongue of the long-nosed bat has a number of adaptations for lapping nectar, including long ridges and rough, conical papillae. They feed on fruit, pollen, nectar, and possibly insects on rare occasions. Pollen and nectar is acquired mainly from night-blooming flowers such as the cactus.

Both species can coexist with human presence, which is why they don’t mind living in the Hato Cave! While passing through this special bat chamber in the cave we always do take caution, by  minimizing the sound.