Overview

Myotis tricolor – (Temminck, 1832)

ANIMALIA – CHORDATA – MAMMALIA – CHIROPTERA – VESPERTILIONIDAE – Myotis – tricolor 

Common Names: Temminck’s Hairy Bat, Cape Hairy Bat, Cape Myotis, Temminck’s Mouse-eared Bat, Three-coloured bat (English), Temminck se langhaarvlermuis, Temminck-langhaarvlermuis, Kaapse Langhaarvlermuis (Afrikaans) 

Synonyms:  Eptesicus loveni Granvik 1924 

Taxonomic Note: Originally described in 1832 under the name V[espertilio] tricolor Temminck, in Smuts, Enumer. Mamm. Capensium, 106. The type locality is listed as South Africa: Cape province: Cape Town [33 56 S, 18 28 E]. The colloquial name is after C.J. Temminck, who was the author of Monographies de Mammalogie (1827) (Taylor 2005; ACR 2024).

Red List Status: LC – Least Concern (IUCN version 3.1) 

Assessment Information

Assessors: Richards, L.R.¹, Howard, A.² & da Silva, J.M.³ 

Reviewer: Moir, M.⁴ 

Institutions: ¹Durban Natural Science Museum, ²University of the Free State, ³South African National Biodiversity Institute, ⁴Stellenbosch University 

Previous Assessors and Reviewers: Monadjem, A., Jacobs, D., Cohen, L., MacEwan, K., Richards, L.R., Schoeman, C., Sethusa, T. & Taylor, P. 

Previous Contributors: Nicholson, S.K., Raimondo, D. & Child, M.F. 

Assessment Rationale 

Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution (extent of occurrence in the assessment region is 932,732 km²), its occurrence in multiple protected areas across its range, its known large population (colonies up to 1500 individuals; Taylor 1998) and because there are no major identified threats that could be causing widespread population decline. However, its dependence on large caves as roosting sites makes colonies vulnerable to human disturbance and its migratory behaviour may make it vulnerable to wind farm operation. Such threats should be monitored for their impacts on subpopulations and the population overall.

Regional population effects: The range of this species is continuous across the borders of the assessment region into Zimbabwe and Mozambique through its occurrence in transfrontier conservation areas. The species undergoes local migrations between winter hibernacula and summer maternity roosts (Monadjem et al. 2020). Therefore, rescue effects from nearest neighbour colonies are possible, particularly where habitats are continuous across geopolitical borders.   

Reasons for Change 

Reason(s) for Change in Red List Category from the Previous Assessment: No change 

Red List Index 

Red List Index: No change 

Recommended citation: Richards LR, Howard A & da Silva JM. 2025. A conservation assessment of Myotis tricolor. In Patel T, Smith C, Roxburgh L, da Silva JM & Raimondo D, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.

Regional Distribution and occurrence

Geographic Range 

This species has been patchily recorded in sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia to South Africa. In West Africa, it has been reported from the northwestern uplands of Liberia (Koopman et al. 1995; ACR 2024), while in central Africa it is known only from a few records in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda (Hayman et al. 1966; Baeten et al. 1984). It is much more widely recorded in East Africa, ranging from Ethiopia in the north, through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe through to southern South Africa (ACR 2024). Within the assessment region, it is widespread across eastern regions of South Africa, including Lesotho and Eswatini. It occurs from Cape Town east along the coast to the Eastern Cape (Herselman & Norton 1985), then north through Lesotho and the Free State (Watson 1990) to northern South Africa and east to KwaZulu-Natal (Monadjem et al. 2020). It is restricted to areas with suitable caves for roosting, which may explain its absence from flat and featureless terrain (although it has been recorded from the Mpumalanga Highveld, de Jong et al. 2024), and its general association with mountainous areas (Monadjem et al. 2020). The estimated extent of occurrence in the assessment region is 932,732 km². 

Elevation / Depth / Depth Zones 

Elevation Lower Limit (in metres above sea level): 18 m asl (Monadjem et al. 2024) 

Elevation Upper Limit (in metres above sea level): 3,869 m asl (Monadjem et al. 2024) 

Depth Lower Limit (in metres below sea level): N/A 

Depth Upper Limit (in metres below sea level): N/A 

Depth Zone: N/A 

Map

Figure 1. Distribution records for Temminck’s Hairy Bat (Myotis tricolor) within the assessment region (South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho). Note that distribution data is obtained from multiple sources and records have not all been individually verified.

Biogeographic Realms 

Biogeographic Realm: Afrotropical 

Occurrence 

Countries of Occurrence 

Large Marine Ecosystems (LME) Occurrence 

Large Marine Ecosystems: N/A 

FAO Area Occurrence 

FAO Marine Areas: N/A 

Climate change

No formal study of the direct effects of climate change on this species has been conducted. Most studies of the effects of climate change on bats are based on predictive species distribution modelling; thus, there is a lack of empirical studies measuring behavioural, physiological, phenological or genetic responses to extreme and seasonal climatic changes, especially in the Global South (Festa et al. 2023; Pio et al. 2014). 

Globally, there have been documented declines in bat populations, species richness and distributions in relation to water availability, with increasing global aridity, which may become a growing concern as heat waves and maximum temperatures are expected to increase over much of South Africa (Adams & Hayes 2021; Mbokodo et al. 2020).

Population Information

Appears to be uncommon or rare throughout most of its range besides the assessment region. Here it has been recorded from many localities of the eastern regions, comprising colonies of hundreds up to 1,500 animals (Taylor 1998, 2000, Monadjem et al. 2020). 

Current population trend: Stable 

Continuing decline in mature individuals? Not suspected 

Extreme fluctuations in the number of subpopulations: Cannot be determined 

Continuing decline in number of subpopulations: Not suspected 

All individuals in one subpopulation: Presumed so. 

Number of mature individuals in largest subpopulation: Unknown, however, based on known colonies figure is likely >5,000, if not more (see below). 

Number of Subpopulations: Although further studies are required, it appears to be one metapopulation (see Moire et al. 2020). 

Quantitative Analysis 

Probability of extinction in the wild within 3 generations or 10 years, whichever is longer, maximum 100 years: Unlikely as there are many known colonies within the assessment region. 

Probability of extinction in the wild within 5 generations or 20 years, whichever is longer, maximum 100 years: Unlikely. 

Probability of extinction in the wild within 100 years: Cannot be determined with available data.  

Population Genetics

A phylogenetic study on the genus Myotis revealed two significantly distinct evolutionary lineages of Myotis tricolor – one of which is within South Africa (Patterson et al. 2019). Similarly, a population genetic study found population structuring with strong haplotypic segregation between Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal, and between southern KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape (Moir et al. 2020). However, given that these studies employed only mitochondrial genes and limited samples, further research employing an integrative taxonomic approach is highly recommended.  

Assuming the species exists as a single metapopulation within the assessment region, connected to colonies in adjacent countries, and considering several colonies exist and some colonies are comprised of up to 1,500 individuals, it is highly likely that at least 5,000 individuals exist, translating to an effective population size of at least 500, meeting the threshold for a healthy, and stable population. A population genetic study is needed to verify this and to inform whether additional sub-structuring exists within the assessment region.  

Habitats and ecology

It occupies widely varied habitats, including montane forests, rainforests, coastal forests, savannah woodlands (including mopane and miombo), arid thickets, mixed grassland and fynbos. It has a close association with mountainous terrain which may be due to its cave-roosting requirements (Monadjem et al. 2020). Within the assessment region, it occurs mainly in woodland savannah habitats but also dry grassland savannahs and montane grasslands in the Drakensberg Mountains (Lynch 1994; Taylor 1998). Most records in the region are from areas of > 500 mm of annual rainfall (Rautenbach 1982), which indicates that its distribution is probably limited by rainfall and the availability of humid caves and mines (Salata 2012). It may tolerate disturbed habitats to a degree. For example, it was recorded along the polluted Umbilo River in the Durban region in 2008 (Naidoo et al. 2011). However, this may have been influenced by the presence of nearby Paradise Valley Nature Reserve (Naidoo et al. 2011). It has been mist-netted in open spaces close to trees and close to the surface of running water (for example, Sirami et al. 2013; Howard et al. 2022; de Jong et al. 2024).

Roosts by day in moist caves and mine shafts hanging freely from ceilings or clinging to walls. Mostly found in larger caves usually containing pools of water where disturbance is minimal (Roberts 1951; Herselman & Norton 1985), but this is not always the case. In the North-West Province, it was recorded in old mine tunnels in the Vredefort Dome area (Power 2014). Throughout the assessment region, this species migrates hundreds of kilometres between warmer summer maternity caves (such as De Hoop Gauno Cave in the Western Cape) and colder winter hibernation caves (Monadjem et al. 2020). It is a clutter-edge forager with a diet consisting of Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Neuroptera and Hymenoptera (Monadjem et al. 2020); aquatic insects can comprise a substantial portion of its diet (Moyo and Jacobs 2020; G. de Jong and L.R. Richards, unpublished data). The intermediate wing morphology of M. tricolor allows the flexible foraging guilds of an aerial forager, gleaner (takes insects off a substrate) and trawler (takes prey from the water surface) according to Jordaan & Jacobs (2009).

Ecosystem and cultural services: This insectivorous species has been recorded from macadamia orchards (Taylor et al. 2013; Weier et al. 2021) and is likely to assist with insect pest control. Worldwide, insectivorous bats contribute to controlling insect populations that damage crops (Boyles et al. 2011; Kunz et al. 2011). Ensuring a healthy population of insectivorous bats can thus decrease the need for pesticides. 

IUCN Habitats Classification Scheme 

Life History 

Generation Length: (Not specified) 

Age at Maturity: Female or unspecified: Wingate (1986) reported most females attain sexual maturity at 4-5 months of age; the remainder of the observed population attained maturity a year later.  

Age at Maturity: Male: (Not specified) 

Size at Maturity (in cms): Female: Mean forearm length 5.04 ±0.18 cm; Mean total length = 10.60 ± 0.56 cm (Monadjem et al. 2020) 

Size at Maturity (in cms): Male: Mean forearm length 4.96 ±0.15 cm; Mean total length = 10.40 ± 0.62 cm (Monadjem et al. 2020) 

Longevity: Unknown 

Average Reproductive Age: (Not specified) 

Maximum Size (in cms): (Not specified) 

Size at Birth (in cms): (Not specified) 

Gestation Time: Estimated to be ca. 63 days 

Reproductive Periodicity: Exhibit seasonal monoestry, with births occurring in the summer (November-December) (Barnard 1982). 

Average Annual Fecundity or Litter Size: One pup per year 

Natural Mortality: Natural predators include snakes, owls and other nocturnal raptors  

Does the species lay eggs?  No 

Does the species give birth to live young: Yes 

Does the species exhibit parthenogenesis: No 

Does the species have a free-living larval stage? No 

Does the species require water for breeding? No 

Movement Patterns 

Movement Patterns: Migratory; undergo local migrations between winter hibernacula and summer maternity roosts (Monadjem et al. 2020). 

Congregatory: Yes; some cave-roosting colonies can harbour 1,500 individuals (Taylor 1998, 2000). 

Systems 

System: Terrestrial 

General Use and Trade Information

A recent study by Tarango et al. (2025) listed this species as imported into the U.S.A. Online e-commerce platforms should be monitored for illegal trade in bat taxidermy and specimens from the assessment region. 

Local Livelihood: None reported 

National Commercial Value: May provide essential ecosystem services in the form of pest insect control in macadamia orchards. 

International Commercial Value: May provide essential ecosystem services in the form of pest insect control in macadamia orchards; an important export product. 

End Use: N/A 

Is there harvest from captive/cultivated sources of this species? None reported from the assessment region.  

Harvest Trend Comments: N/A 

Threats

Overall, there are no major known threats to this species (ACR 2024). To date, disturbance of roost sites in caves due to tourism, and traditional ceremonies and rituals has been the largest threat to this species (Barnard 2013). It is also threatened by habitat loss around roost sites due to agricultural expansion and poor land-use management practices, as well as alien and invasive plants infestations, which depletes insect biomass (the prey base for this species). In parts of its range, (for example, Mpumalanga), the species is threatened by legal and illegal mining, and re-commissioning of old mines, as well as new threats from proposed wind farms. Wind energy may pose a significant threat as this species has a medium to high risk of mortality from wind turbine blades due to its migratory habits (Sowler et al. 2020). One South African wind farm fatality is documented in the Durban Natural Science Museum specimen records. 

Conservation

This species occurs in more than ten protected areas within the assessment region, including Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, and is a well-conserved species. It must, however, be noted that in parts of its range, large populations often occur in caves and mines outside formally protected areas. As such, continued roost protection is necessary. Additionally, this species would benefit from holistic land management that reduces pesticide use and conserves buffer strips of natural vegetation to sustain insect biomass (Weier et al. 2021). To operational wind farms may pose a threat, especially along migration routes. Mortalities from turbine collisions on wind farms should be reported and mitigated through interventions such as using ultrasound to deter bats and curtailing turbines at low wind speeds (Baerwald et al. 2009; Berthinussen et al. 2010; Arnett et al. 2011).

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners: 

• Reduce pesticide use in agricultural landscapes and maintain buffer strips of natural vegetation. 
• Data sharing by wind farm managers into a national database is needed to be able to calculate cumulative impacts and thereafter implement collaborative mitigation and management efforts. 
• Conservation of riparian habitats, aquatic biodiversity and associated invertebrate prey species.  

Research priorities: 

• Quantification of severity of local threats. For example, monitoring mortalities linked with windfarm operations and assessing impact on populations. 
• Systematic monitoring to measure overall population size, trends and regional migration routes. 

Encouraged citizen actions: 

• Citizens can assist the conservation of the species by reporting sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iNaturalist and MammalMAP) and therefore contribute to an understanding of the species distribution. 
• Minimise disturbance at caves when visiting. 

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