A rare orange-coloured bat, which is a "near threatened" species, has been spotted in Chhattisgarh, officials said on Wednesday.

The animal, also known as the 'painted bat' and characterised by bright orange and black wings, was sighted at a banana farm in Parali Bodal village of the park on Monday, the national park's director, Dhammshil Ganvir, said.

The bright orange-coloured bat was seen for the third time in the last few years in the Kanger Valley National Park located in the Bastar district, he said, adding that earlier it was seen in 2020 and 2022.

The national park is famous for its limestone caves which also provide a suitable habitat for bats, as per experts.

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