Status and conservation of bats in Tasmania

We review the habitat, distribution and conservation status of bat species known to occur in Tasmania. There are eight resident species of native bat in Tasmania; Gould's Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii, Chocolate Wattled Bat C. morio, Large Forest Bat Vespadelus darlingtoni, Southern Forest Bat V. regulus, Little Forest Bat, V. vulturnus, Eastern Falsistrelle Falsistrellus tasmaniensis, Lesser Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi and the endemic Tasmanian Long-eared Bat N. sherrini. In addition the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus is a vagrant, predominantly recorded on the Bass Strait islands. The diversity of species in Tasmania is low compared with mainland Australia reflecting the state's island status, size, location and glacial history. There has been a limited amount of bat research in Tasmania and systematic surveys have not been undertaken across Tasmania. However, based on available information all resident species occur widely throughout Tasmania in a wide range of habitats and none are listed under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 or Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The vagrant P. poliocephalus is listed as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.