Essential Information on the Galapagos Hoary Bat
This is the larger of the two resident Galápagos bat species, found throughout the Galápagos archipelago, with populations recorded on Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela, Santiago, and Floreana Islands.
Similar to the Galápagos Red Bat, the Hoary Bats on the archipelago have not been extensively studied. The Hoary Bat is also found across North America, where it migrates south for the winter. It is believed that the Galápagos Hoary Bats remain on the islands year-round, feeding at greater heights than the smaller Red Bats, though they pursue similar prey such as flies, cicadas, and moths, and like most bats, they hunt at night using echolocation.
The Hoary Bat gets its name from its long, dense grey-brown fur tipped with white, giving it a frosty, hoary appearance. It is considered one of the more attractive bat species due to this dense fur, which gives it an almost “cuddly” look.
Hoary Bats do not roost together in colonies; instead, they prefer to roost alone in dense vegetation, hanging upside down under tree canopies. In the Galápagos, they are most easily observed on inhabited islands where, like the smaller Red Bat, they hunt around streetlights that attract insects. If you spend a night before or after your cruise on either San Cristobal or Santa Cruz, you may have the opportunity to see these bats as you walk in the evenings.
