Chinese rufous horseshoe bat

A small insectivorous bat (family Rhinolophidae) found in southern China, Vietnam, and northern India. Adults weigh 8–12 g with a wingspan of ~25 cm. They have brown to reddish-brown fur and the characteristic horseshoe-shaped noseleaf surrounding the nostrils—a complex structure used to focus ultrasonic echolocation calls emitted through the nose. They roost in limestone caves, tunnels, and abandoned buildings, sometimes in large mixed-species colonies. They use sophisticated constant-frequency (CF) echolocation calls (~80 kHz) to detect and classify insect prey via Doppler-shift compensation. Nocturnal insectivores, they hunt moths, beetles, and other flying insects. This species gained enormous scientific attention because horseshoe bats in Yunnan Province, China, were found to harbor SARSr-CoV (SARS-related coronaviruses), including the closest known relative (RaTG13, 96.2% identity) to SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. They are thus central to understanding the origins of pandemic coronaviruses. Females produce one pup per year. Lifespan: likely 10–15 years. IUCN: Least Concern.