White-striped freetail bat in Tasmania – resident, vagrant or climate change migrant?

摘要: The white-striped freetail bat (Austronomus australis) is distributed throughout mainland Australia, but historically has not been known from the island of Tasmania, off south-eastern Australia. Between 2009 and 2012, echolocation calls identified as those A. australis were recorded in Tasmania during call surveys. There are three hypotheses that could explain discovery this species Tasmania: a previously undetected resident; it vagrant; or undergoing southwards range expansion shift. Based on limited evidence available, including species’ long-range flight capabilities (including over open water out to sea), I suggest periodic vagrant monitoring necessary identify whether extension into Tasmania.