First Records of Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the World’s Largest Cave in Vietnam

Son Doong Cave, the world's largest cave within Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, harbors at least six bat species, representing four families and five genera. This is the first comprehensive record of bats in this iconic site, revealing a diverse assemblage that includes two globally vulnerable species: Hipposideros scutinares (Hipposideridae) and Myotis pilosus (Vespertilionidae). Researchers used mist nets for capturing bats and analyzed their echolocation calls to distinguish between species. The findings highlight Son Doong Cave's significance as a biodiversity hotspot, particularly for threatened bat populations, underscoring the need for conservation efforts in this UNESCO-listed landscape.

Thong, V. D., Limbert, H., & Limbert, D. (2022). First Records of Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the World’s Largest Cave in Vietnam. Diversity, 14(7), 534. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14070534