Golden-tipped Bat - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Phoniscus papuensis

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 06 Jun 2022

Description

The Golden-tipped Bat has dark brown, curly fur with bright golden tips. The distinctively coloured fur extends along the wings, legs and tail. It has a short, pointed, over-hanging muzzle and pointy, funnel-shaped ears. Adults weigh about 6 grams and have a wingspan of about 25 cm.

Distribution

The Golden-tipped Bat is distributed along the east coast of Australia in scattered locations from Cape York Peninsula in Queensland to south of Eden in southern NSW. It has recently been trapped just inside the Victorian border. It also occurs in New Guinea.

Habitat and ecology

Found in rainforest and adjacent wet and dry sclerophyll forest up to 1000m. Also recorded in tall open forest, Casuarina-dominated riparian forest and coastal Melaleuca forests.
Bats will fly up to two kilometres from roosts to forage in rainforest and sclerophyll forest on mid and upper-slopes.
Roost mainly in rainforest gullies on small first- and second-order streams in usually abandoned hanging Yellow-throated Scrubwren and Brown Gerygone nests modified with an access hole on the underside. Bats may also roost under thick moss on tree trunks, in tree hollows, dense foliage and epiphytes.
Bats will use multiple roost and change roosts regularly.
Bats roost individually or in small colonies which can contain up to approximately 20 bats of both males and females or just a single sex.
Maternity roots may occur away from water sources with one maternity roost found 450m upslope of the nearest water course in a broken bough.
Specialist feeder on small web-building spiders.
There is one breeding cycle per year.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Loss of riparian rainforest for roosting and foraging habitat.
Loss of understorey habitat on mid and upper slopes for foraging.
Habitat fragmentation.
Lack of knowledge of the threats to the species.
Inappropriately planned hazard reduction burns and unplanned wildfire events that produce fires of a high intensity that burn into rainforest habitat.
Pesticides and other chemicals used in or adjacent to habitat areas.
Exotic weeds, particularly lantana and vines, that degrade habitat and alter the structure of rainforest and adjacent wet and dry sclerophyll forest vegetation communities.
Unlawful forestry operations that fragment habitat or result in impacts to roosting or foraging habitat.
Loss of yellow-throated scrub-wren and brown gerygone nests in riparian areas that are used by golden-tipped bats for roosting.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Retain rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest in gullies for roosting.
Retain dense patches of understorey in mid and upper-slope forest for foraging.
Undertake research into the habitat requirements, population dynamics, breeding requirements and threats to the species.
Ensure fire frequency is appropriate for habitat type for both roosting and foraging habitat. This includes excluding fire from rainforest communities.

Information sources

Churchill, S. (2008) Australian Bats. New Holland, Sydney.
Churchill, S. (2008) Australian Bats. Second Edition. New Holland, Sydney.
Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001) A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford Uni Press, Melbourne.
Woodside, D.P. (1995) Golden-tipped Bat Kerivoula papuensis. Pp. 490-1 in Strahan, R. (ed.) The Mammals of Australia. Reed Books, Sydney.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Walcha Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Wongwibinda Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Barrington	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Cataract	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Chaelundi	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Comboyne Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Mummel Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Hunter	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Known	None
Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Predicted	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
South East Corner	Bateman	Known	None
South East Corner	East Gippsland Lowlands	Predicted	None
South East Corner	South East Coastal Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Kybeyan-Gourock	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Ettrema	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Jervis	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Moss Vale	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Sydney Cataract	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Yengo	Known	None

Images

Golden-tipped Bat
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