Leschenault's Rousette

Leschenault's rousette is a medium-sized cave-roosting fruit bat with brown fur, a long dog-like muzzle and a short tail. It uses audible tongue clicks for simple echolocation inside dark roosts, supplementing the large eyes and strong sense of smell used while foraging. Its range extends from South Asia through mainland Southeast Asia to southern China (Mammal Diversity Database; specialist Rousettus studies).

Colonies occupy caves, tunnels and sometimes buildings, and can number many hundreds or thousands. The bats feed on fruit, nectar and pollen and may travel between forest, orchards and other cultivated areas. Their concentrated cave roosts are vulnerable to disturbance even where feeding habitat remains (species-level ecological studies). It is Nationally Near Threatened (Thailand Red Data 2025).