Stenonycteris lanosa is assessed as Least Concern due to its fragmented but widespread distribution across East and Central Africa. It is thought to have a reasonably large population that is stable in some regions as it is found in several protected areas. However, multiple threats such as continuing deforestation driven by agriculture, infrastructure development and extractive industries, and cave disturbance contribute to habitat loss and degradation throughout the species’ range and results in a small, but overall population decline for the species. These threats could lead to more significant population declines in the future without appropriate habitat conservation actions.

Stenonycteris lanosa has a moderately fragmented distribution resulting from extensive deforestation that further isolated its distribution in East Africa and Central Africa. It has been documented in isolated habitat fragments often associated with montane areas from central Ethiopia and the southern border of South Sudan to central Malawi and from coastal Tanzania to an isolated fragment in Uganda and Rwanda (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Based on its presence in forest habitat in Rwanda which extends further south, the species may be extant in the forested region of Burundi immediately south of Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). The species has been confirmed in cave/forest surveys in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda (Flanders et al. 2022), in the Mathews Forest, Menengai crater, Mt. Elgon Forest, Kakamega Forest, and South and North Forests in Kenya (Aggundey and Schlitter 1984, Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy 2010, P. Webala pers. obs. 2024), and at the Kafa Biosphere Reserve in Ethiopia (The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union 2017, Meheretu et al. 2022). The species is primarily, but not exclusively, a montane species, with an elevational range from 507 to 4,174 masl (Monadjem et al. 2024). The species’ extent of occurrence (EOO; minimum convex polygon around the species’ range) and area of occupancy (AOO; 4 km² grid overlaid on the species’ range) is 1,608,667 km² and 396,604 km², respectively (Monadjem et al. 2024). Neither the EOO or AOO for this species are declining or experiencing extreme fluctuations. Given the species’ moderately fragmented range, the species is thought to be located in 10 to 20 locations that are threatened by deforestation, largely due to expansion of small-scale cropland in these areas (Masolele et al. 2024) and cave disturbance. There is no evidence of change in the number and/or size of these locations, and while the locations are fragmented it is unlikely that S. lanosa is detrimentally affected due to its dispersal capabilities (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019).

There are no data on the species’ population size, though S. lanosa is presumed to have a large population based on its distribution and tendency to roost in groups of hundreds of individuals (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019, P. Webala pers. obs. 2024). The species’ population trend is suspected to be declining due to continuing and increasing levels of deforestation due mostly to local expansion of small-scale cropland (Masolele et al. 2024), cave disturbance and development, and hunting of the bats. Based on species’ fragmented distribution, S. lanosa is thought to have at least 11 subpopulations (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Several locations are thought to be close enough in proximity to allow potential dispersal between them, but more research is needed to determine if this leads to fewer subpopulations than locations. There is no evidence that the species’ population is undergoing extreme fluctuations nor are the number of subpopulations declining or undergoing extreme fluctuations.

Stenonycteris lanosa is generally associated with montane tropical forests, but also occupies evergreen shrublands, wooded grasslands, and bamboo forests throughout East Africa across its elevational range of 500 to 4,000 meters asl (Kaipf et al. 2014, Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). The species may occasionally occupy some dry lowland rainforests and dry/wet miombo woodland, as well as deciduous bushland and Acacia thicket (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). The species’ habitat is currently declining largely due to deforestation, driven by the expansion of small-holder and, to a lesser extent, agro-industry cropland and pasture throughout East and Central Africa (Masolele et al. 2024). Additionally, cave disturbance from tourism, religious practices, and mining activities contribute to habitat loss/degradation, as these caves are the only suitable roost habitat for S. lanosa (Voigt and Kingston 2016, Masolele et al. 2024).

Forest habitats are primarily used as foraging space for their diet, which consists of soft fruits, nectar, and possibly pollen based on the species’ delicate skull and a single reported observation of an individual feeding on the flowers of Lobelia giberroa (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Based on this information, S. lanosa is likely involved in ecosystem services such as pollination and seed dispersal throughout their range. In clusters reaching up to hundreds of individuals, the species prefers to roost in dark, damp caves and underground mines, which also likely serve as maternity roosts (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Females have one pup per litter, and S. lanosa appears to have an extended reproductive chronology based on pregnancy reports. Pregnant females were found in Ethiopia in the beginning of May and the middle of January, one lactating female was found in Malawi during late December, and pregnant females were reported in Tanzania during July (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019).

The species is primarily threatened by deforestation, cave disturbance, climate change, and potential overhunting for bushmeat (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Deforestation is a major threat, largely due to expansion of small-scale cropland throughout various countries in East and Central Africa (Masolele et al. 2024). Illegal logging and wood harvesting also contribute to deforestation across the species’ range (Kelly and Pilgram 2023). Residential and commercial development presumably contribute to forest loss as well. This is an ongoing threat to the primary habitat which S. lanosa uses for foraging, as the species is presumed to depend on fruits and flowers within these forests for sustenance (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Cave disturbance is another major threat to S. lanosa, mainly in the form of tourism, religious activities, and mining practices (Voigt and Kingston 2016, Masolele et al. 2024). This is an ongoing threat which directly threatens the species’ roost sites, as S. lanosa is a cave-dwelling bat (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Climate change is also a threat to the species, mainly through increased wildfires which contribute to the loss of forest habitat throughout the species’ range (Bousfield et al. 2023). Overhunting is a potential threat to the species, however it is unknown whether it is ongoing or so extensive as to be considered an actual threat (Wilson and Mittermeier 2019). Hunting bats for bushmeat is known to occur in some regions in eastern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but more research is needed to determine if S. lanosa is affected (Voigt and Kingston 2016).

The species is not known to be traded. However, it is possibly hunted as bushmeat as it is found in eastern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo where people known to hunt fruit bats for their meat (Voigt and Kingston 2016).

There are no ongoing conservation efforts for S. lanosa, though the species is found in multiple protected areas throughout Central and East Africa, such as Nyungwe National Park, the Mathews Forest, and the Kafa Biosphere Reserve (Kaipf et al. 2014, Flanders et al. 2022, Meheretu et al. 2022, UNEP-WCMC 2024). The species has also been proposed as a potential flagship species for the bamboo forest of the Kafa Biosphere Reserve, though it is unclear as to whether this has led to any actual conservation efforts or monitoring for S. lanosa (Kaipf et al. 2014). 

Conservation efforts for S. lanosa should focus on protecting, managing, and restoring habitat space throughout the species’ range, especially tropical montane forests and cave systems. Additionally, efforts should be made to educate and spread awareness to both local communities and governments across the species’ range regarding the habitat and ecological significance of S. lanosa. Regular communication with these communities/governments should also take place in order to ensure that conservation actions are both effective and unobtrusive to local residents.

There is much more research to be done on S. lanosa, particularly on population size and trends as these areas have essentially no data. The species’ distribution should also be updated, in particular regarding its potential presence in Burundi and the capability of the species to move over broader landscapes, connecting its severely fragmented range. Additionally, more research is needed to determine the reproductive chronology of S. lanosa, as well as its average reproductive age and generation length as these help predict population trends in response to disturbances/threats. More research should also be done on the composition of the species’ diet to identify which fruit/flowers on which the species relies most. Research on the movement patterns and dispersal capabilities of S. lanosa must be done as well, in order to help identify subpopulations and determine if the species’ distribution could be considered severely fragmented. Furthermore, research is needed on whether S. lanosa is being hunted, and, if so, where and to what extent. Some examples of research actions include monitoring and survey projects in order to gather more data on the species overall.