Haematology of southern bent-winged bats (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) from the Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia

Abstract

Haematology is an important tool for evaluating the health of both individuals and populations of animals, as it can provide evidence of subclinical disease. This is particularly important for endangered species as it provides a potential early warning system. The southern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) is a critically endangered bat whose population has declined over the past 50 years. As part of a larger investigation to determine if disease could be a contributing factor to the sub-species’ decline, complete blood counts were performed on southern bent-winged bats from the Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia, to determine their haematological characteristics. E..