Bat found in Plover Cove may be only mammal unique to HK

A new species of bat - and, perhaps, a whole new grouping - has been discovered roaming the night skies over the northeast New Territories. It is thought to be the only mammal unique to Hong Kong.

A single specimen was captured in August during a 'mist-net survey' of bat populations along the banks of the Wu Kau Tang stream adjoining Plover Cove Country Park, said government conservation officer Shek Chung-tong.

'When we captured the bat we knew immediately that it belonged to a species new to Hong Kong,' Mr Shek said. 'On closer inspection we found the bat shows the intermediate characteristics of two genera, Pipistrellus and Nyctalus, and it was difficult to classify the bat as belonging to either group.'

The confusion was caused by the bat's tragus - the flap in front of the ear thought to determine the vertical position of an object during echo-location, which bats use for navigation.

Its baculum - the bone supporting the penis - is also long and distinctive. These parts of a bat's anatomy are key to deciding to which genus and species it belongs.

'We sent the specimen to a leading authority on Pipistrellus in Belgium, Dr Victor van Cakenberghe, who confirmed it did not correspond to any known species of Pipistrellus,' Mr Shek said.