Horseshoe Bats produce a particularly distinctive echolocation call, with frequencies reaching an impressive 66–70 kHz — well beyond the range of human hearing (we can hear at best up to 20kHz).

These specialised calls are perfectly suited to their hunting style. Horseshoe Bats can manoeuvre through dense vegetation and cluttered spaces, using echolocation to seek out moths and other insects hiding amongst the foliage. They may be masters of manoeuvring, but there is a catch. Horseshoe Bats can be relatively slow flyers and come close to the ground, which can make them vulnerable to predators such as foxes, dogs and cats. Finding an endangered Horseshoe Bat at Tambo Bluff provides valuable evidence that this patch of habitat is supporting species of conservation significance.

Every detection helps us build a better understanding of which species are living here in East Gippsland, how they use the landscape and what we can do to protect them.

So, the next time you’re out at Tambo Bluff as the sun is setting, remember — while you might not see or hear them, there could be tiny wings flying through the darkness above you.

And somewhere out there, a lucky little Horseshoe Bat is getting on with the important job of keeping our insect populations in check.