Scientific name/relatives

The horseshoe bat's scientific name is rhinolophus hipposideros. the horseshoe bat is closely related to the leaf nosed bat, also known as the lesser horseshoe bat. it's scientific name is phyllostomidae. it is a horseshoe bat but it is smaller. The horseshoe bat used to live in caves but now lives in sheds or any other dark shady places. I found no niche of the horseshoe bat, but I only found that it keeps the bug population down. but it can live in a very large amount of environment so it has a broad niche. the horseshoe bat is in dangered because it's natural habitat is being destroyed. It has resorted to living in human made shelters. If the horseshoe bat became extinct, not a lot would happen. the bug population would go up but that's about it. A zoo habitat for this bat would be dark and moist, with places for them to hang. this would be different form the natural habitat because, it wouldn't be as dark, and there wouldn't be as many other bats around. I would be similar because, it would be fairly dark and moist like a cave.

~Logan

stuctural: getting food

Unlike most bats the horseshoe bats creat sound through it's nose, not mouth. this helps it to direct sound to use echo location. It also helps to magnify the sound.

website: http://www.ehow.com/about_5410661_horseshoe-bat.html
author:  Cindy Dixon

~logan

stuctural: predators

As i said in my earlier post horseshoe bats don't have any real predators, a reason for this is because of how they look. they are quite ugly as you can see below so animals are frightened of them.




~logan

structural: reproduction

 They are also able to fly at 4 weeks so the combination of this, and being born around may, by the time they can fly food is easy to get.

website: http://www.jwaller.co.uk/batgroup/lesser_horseshoe.asp
author: Julia and John

~logan

behavioural: predators

The horseshoe bat has no direct predator. But the reason for a decline in population is that the things they eat has been declining because of insecticide. There is no behavioural reason that they have no predators but i will go into more detail in structural adaptations. Also, there has been destruction of habitat for the horseshoe bat.

Website: http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/?q=lesser-horseshoe-bat
Author: ?

~logan

behavioural: reproduction

The horseshoe bat mates in fall so that the baby can be born in the spring time, when food is abundant. Also, when the baby becomes independent, at around 8 weeks, it has to be easy for the child to survive.

Website: http://www.ehow.com/about_5386882_horse-shoe-bat.html
Author: Megan Mattingly-Arthur

~logan

behavioural: how they hunt

Did you know the horseshoe bat got it's name from it's horseshoe shaped noses? This shape helps it hunt by focusing bursts of sound. This is called echolocation. This enables them to find the biggest prey possible  while using as little energy as possible.

Website: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12717256.200-horseshoe-bats-sound-out-the-choicest-prey-.html
Author: John Timson

Website: http://www.kidsbiology.com/animals-for-children.php?animal=Greater%20horseshoe%20bat Author: unknown

~logan