Woman Mistakes Rare Bat for Leaf: Unusual Painted Bat Found After Traffic Incident

On February 2nd, a TikTok user @nuudee_dee posted a video of an unusual bat she encountered after accidentally hitting it while driving. The bat was small, orange-colored with black tiger-like wing patterns, which she initially mistook for a leaf. After closer examination, she realized it was a rare bat species. Following her post, many commenters identified the creature as a Painted Bat (Kerivoula picta), an extremely rare and nearly extinct species in Thailand. The Painted Bat is a tiny bat weighing around 10 grams, with a wingspan of approximately 15 centimeters. Its vibrant orange fur and distinctive coloration make it unique among bat species. Naturally found across India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, southern China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, this bat is particularly uncommon in Thailand. It typically inhabits banana leaf rolls, dry leaves, and grass tops, and is active during evening hours hunting small insects. The species is protected under Thailand's Wildlife Conservation Act of 1992.