Mammals
Kitti's Hog-Nosed Bat
Craseonycteris thonglongyai · also called bumblebee bat, Kitti's hog-nosed bats
Weighing barely as much as a large coin, Kitti’s hog-nosed bat slips out of a limestone cave at dusk for a brief burst of insect hunting, one of the smallest mammals on Earth and one confined to just a handful of roost sites anywhere on the planet.
Overview
Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, Craseonycteris thonglongyai, is among the smallest mammals in the world, native to forest habitat surrounding limestone cave systems in a restricted part of Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar. Its bumblebee-sized body, distinctive pig-like snout, and extremely limited cave-restricted range make it one of the most remarkable and conservation-sensitive bats found anywhere on Earth.
A mammal the size of a bumblebee
Few mammals anywhere approach the sheer smallness of Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, a species so tiny that its entire global population fits within a handful of limestone caves across a narrow stretch of Southeast Asia.
Status
Vulnerable, with a population restricted to a small number of limestone cave roosts facing ongoing pressure from tourism, quarrying, and land-use change nearby.
Kitti's Hog-Nosed Bat: common questions
Why is Kitti's hog-nosed bat called the bumblebee bat?
This species is widely regarded as one of the smallest mammals alive by body mass, comparable in size to a large bumblebee, a comparison that gave rise to its well-known common nickname and reflects just how tiny this bat truly is.
Where is Kitti's hog-nosed bat found?
This species is native to forest habitat surrounding limestone cave systems in a restricted part of Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar, known from only a limited number of caves that together hold its entire global population.
Why is Kitti's hog-nosed bat considered Vulnerable?
This species is highly sensitive to disturbance at its roost caves, and ongoing tourism, limestone quarrying, and agricultural changes near these sites pose real risks to a population already restricted to a very small number of locations.
How does Kitti's hog-nosed bat forage?
This species typically forages for only short periods around dusk and dawn near the entrances of its roost caves, catching small flying insects, rather than ranging widely across the surrounding forested landscape like many other insectivorous bats.