Mammals
Greater Bulldog Bat
Noctilio leporinus · also called fisherman bat, fish-eating bat
Skimming low over a calm lagoon at night, a greater bulldog bat detects the faint ripple of a fish near the surface and rakes the water with its oversized clawed feet, one of the very few bats on Earth that hunts this way.
Overview
The greater bulldog bat, Noctilio leporinus, is a fish-hunting mammal native to wetland and coastal habitat across a broad range extending from Mexico through Central America and much of South America. Its unusual fish-gaffing hunting technique, oversized clawed hind feet, and status as one of the world’s few fishing bat species make it one of the more ecologically specialised bats found anywhere in the Americas.
A bat that fishes for a living
Where most bats hunt insects on the wing, the greater bulldog bat instead skims low over open water, using echolocation to detect the ripples of fish and its long claws to snatch them from just below the surface.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread across suitable wetland and coastal habitat throughout its broad range from Mexico through South America.
Greater Bulldog Bat: common questions
How does the greater bulldog bat catch fish?
This species detects fish near the surface using echolocation to pick up the tiny ripples they create, then rakes the water with unusually large, sharp claws on its hind feet to snag prey, one of only a small number of fishing strategies found anywhere among bats.
What does the greater bulldog bat look like?
This species is a comparatively large bat with a pointed, bulldog-like face, long legs, and notably long hind claws specifically adapted for gaffing fish out of the water during low, steady flight passes over calm surfaces.
Where does the greater bulldog bat live?
This species is native to wetland and coastal habitat across a broad range extending from Mexico through Central America and much of South America, typically roosting in hollow trees, rock crevices, or small caves close to the water it forages over.
Is the greater bulldog bat the only fish-eating bat?
No, but it is one of only a small number of bat species anywhere in the world specialised for catching fish, a hunting strategy that remains rare among the roughly 1,400 known bat species globally.