Seba's Short-Tailed Bat
Carollia perspicillata
A small fruit-eating bat of Central and South America that plants forests by spreading thousands of seeds a night.
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About the Seba's Short-Tailed Bat
Seba's short-tailed bats live in moist and dry forests from southern Mexico to Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. They weigh about half an ounce. They eat at least 50 kinds of fruit, plus pollen and insects, and forage close to the ground. They roost in groups of 10 to 100 in caves, hollow trees, tunnels and road culverts, and are most active right after sunset.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Carollia perspicillata[1]
- Weight
- About half an ounce.[1]
- Lifespan
- About 12 years in human care.[1]
- Diet
- At least 50 kinds of fruit, plus pollen and insects.[1]
- Habitat
- Moist evergreen and dry deciduous forests.[1]
- Where it lives
- Southern Mexico to Bolivia, Paraguay and southeastern Brazil.[1]
- Group life
- Roosts in groups of 10 to 100.[1]
- Babies
- Usually one.[1]
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2015).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- seed dispersal
- How seeds get carried to new places, like when an animal eats fruit and drops the seeds.
- roost
- A place where bats or birds rest.
- torpor
- A short, deep rest that saves energy, like a mini-hibernation.
- pollinator
- An animal that carries pollen from flower to flower.
- least concern
- A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.
See it in person
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, Nebraska · Mahoney Kingdoms of the NightSee this area on the zoo's website ↗
Sources
- [1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. “Seba's short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Carollia_perspicillata/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Carollia perspicillata (Seba's Short-tailed Bat).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3905/22133716 (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.