Chhattisgarh: Rare orange colour bat spotted in Kanger Valley National Park
Jagdalpur (PTI): A rare orange coloured bat, which is a "near threatened" species, has been spotted in Chhattisgarh's Kanger Valley National Park, officials said on Wednesday.
The animal, also known as 'painted bat' and characterised by bright orange and black wings, was sighted at a banana farm in Parali Bodal village of the park on Monday, the national park's director, Dhammshil Ganvir, told PTI.
The bright orange-coloured bat was seen for the third time in the last few years in the Kanger Valley National Park located in Bastar district, he said, adding that earlier it was seen in 2020 and 2022.
The national park is famous for its limestone caves which also provide a suitable habitat for the bats, as per experts.
The painted bat, whose scientific name is 'Kerivoula picta', is a "near threatened" species and commonly seen in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, Ganvir said.
"The painted bats are aerial hawkers, which means they catch insects while flying in the air. It is often observed at the time of maize harvest," Ganvir said.
A survey will soon be conducted to ascertain varieties of bats found in the national park, he said.
The park, spread over an area about 200 sq km, is rich in biodiversity and sightings of some of the rare species of fauna were reported multiple times in the past, Ganvir said.
"In India, this bat has so far been seen in the Western Ghats, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and the Kanger Valley in Chhattisgarh," he said.
These bats prefer to live in dry areas and dense moist forests. For roosting, they prefer to take shelter under banana leaves, the official said.
"We have decided to launch a survey to ascertain the varieties of bats found in the park and take conservation measures accordingly," he added.
Bastar-based ornithologist Ravi Naidu told PTI that the painted bat was first found in the Kanger Valley National Park in an injured condition in November 2020.
"We rescued it and later released it into its habitat," said the expert, who is currently working for the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) on a project.
Naidu's said his research paper on the painted bat in Kanger Valley was published in the Journal of the Wildlife Preservation Society 'Cheetal' in 2020.
The expert claimed he has spotted 26 species of bats in Chhattisgarh and said his research paper on it will be published soon.
The painted bat is characterised by bright orange and black wings, dense orange fur on the back and warm buff below. Their hairy face has no ornamentation or nose leaf. Their ears are large and funnel-shaped with transparent tragus, he said.
In India, there are about 131 species of bats and 31 of them are found in central parts of the country. The Kanger Valley National Park is famous for its limestone caves which also provide a suitable habitat for the bats, Naidu said.
During a faunistic diversity survey earlier, 20 species of bats were reported from Bastar district, mostly in the Kanger Valley, he added.
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8 children between ages of 1 and 14 dead after mass shooting in Louisiana, police say
Shreveport(US) (AP): A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in shootings at two different homes early Sunday in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in more than two years, police in Shreveport said.
The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old, said Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon. A total of 10 were shot and some of the children were related to the suspect, Bordelon said.
The gunman later died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect, Bordelon said. The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police, according to Bordelon.
Police did not release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male. The shootings were the result of a “domestic disturbance,” Bordelon said.
Officials said they were still gathering details at the crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — the two homes and a third location.
“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.
It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.
“I just don't know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It's a terrible morning.”
Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.
State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.
Louisiana Gov Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We're deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.
