Mauritian Tomb Bat
Taphozous mauritianus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderChiroptera (Ratpenats)
- FamilyEmballonuridae (Sheath-tailed Bats)
- GenusTaphozous (Tomb Bats)
- SpeciesTaphozous mauritianus (Mauritian Tomb Bat)
The Mauritian tomb bat (Taphozous mauritianus) is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae that is found in central and southern Africa and Madagascar. It was first described in 1818 by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, and is characterized by an all-white ventral surface, grizzled dorsal coloration, and conical face. It has exceptionally good eyesight, a trait which is common in old world bats and enables it to find roosting locations. It has adapted itself to a wide range of habitats including subarid scrub to semi-tropical savanna and can be found throughout much of Africa south of the Sahara, including many of the surrounding islands. They often seek out refuge in cool dry areas. Mauritian tomb bats help control pest populations, including insects that carry human diseases. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Mauritian Tomb Bat sighting in Serengeti National Park, based on 7 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Serengeti National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 6 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 7 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 9 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 10 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 11 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 12 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 13 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 14 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 15 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 16 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 17 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 18 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 19 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 20 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 21 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Mauritian Tomb Bat in Serengeti National Park?
About 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mauritian Tomb Bat sighting in Serengeti National Park, based on 7 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Mauritian Tomb Bat in Serengeti National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Mauritian Tomb Bat in Serengeti National Park in our monthly data.