Taphozous mauritianus
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
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. These bats tend to be nocturnal hunters and their normal prey consists of moths, butterflies, and termites. Not prone to large-scale roosting, T. mauritianus is most often spotted on the sides of buildings or on the trunks of trees in groups of around five individuals. They breed on average once or twice a year and rear usually one pup, though twins are occasionally reported. They usually deposit their hungry offspring in areas where they can feed voraciously, most often in berry bushes. This species is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List due their wide distribution and stable population. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting 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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mauritian Tomb Bat sighting in Kruger National Park on a given day, based on 50 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 36th most-seen of the 60 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January to March
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Mauritian Tomb Bat in Kruger National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July and September, the lowest months. Those are among Kruger National Park's wettest months, with about 80 mm of rain a month against almost none in August.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mauritian Tomb Bat sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Mauritian Tomb Bat sightings, Kruger National Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Ankarafantsika National Park (Madagascar, about 40%), Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda, about 20%) and Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mauritian Tomb Bat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Kruger National Park (50 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
