Recently, a rare orange-coloured bat, also known as ‘painted bat’ was spotted at a banana plantation in Parali Bodal village of Chhattisgarh’s Kanger Valley National Park in Bastar.
About Painted bat:
- These are often found in unusual roosting sites such as suspended nests of weaver finches and sunbirds, and banana leaves, these bats have been known to roost in pairs.
- It is an aerial hawker, catching insects mid-flight.
- It is generally found in Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
- Conservation status:
- IUCN: Near Threatened
Key facts about Kanger Valley/ Ghati National Park:
- This National Park derived its name from the Kangar river, which flows in its length.
- Flora: This park is a typically mixed humid deciduous type of forest, in which the Sal, Saugaun, teak and bamboo trees are available in abundance.
- Fauna: The most popular species in this area is Bastar Maina which emulates everyone with its human voice.
- It is home to exceptional caves and is famous for its amazing geological structures of Stalagmites and Stalactites.
- Also, Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in this National Park.