O’Donnell (2002): Timing of breeding, productivity and survival of long-tailed bats Chalinolobus tuberculatus.

O’Donnell, C. F. J. 2002. Timing of breeding, productivity and survival of long-tailed bats Chalinolobus tuberculatus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in cold-temperate rainforest in New Zealand. Journal of Zoology (London) 257: 311–323.

This paper reports on breeding of long-tailed bats for the first time. Most births occurred over 10 days in mid-December. Young began flying at 5–6 weeks. Lactation coincided with highest temperatures and peak abundance of insects. Annual survival of juveniles varied from 0.26–0.88. The short, highly synchronous breeding season, birth of single young, early mat-ing, and late age of sexual maturity compared to similar-sized bats, may be related to low food availability and unpredictable cold-temperate weather conditions. Poor productivity in 1996 coincided with an irruption of stoats, implying that predation may cause population crashes.