Topical Collection: Bats on Philippine Stamps

Topical Stamp | Animals | Mammals | Bats

 

Bats are the only mammals capable of true sustained flight and belong to the order Chiroptera. Their wings are formed by a membrane of skin stretched over elongated finger bones. Most bats are nocturnal and use echolocation to navigate and locate food, although not all species rely on echolocation. Bats exhibit a wide variety of diets, with some species feeding primarily on fruit, nectar, and pollen, while others consume insects or other animals.

 

Black-bearded Tomb Bat
Taphozous melanopogon

The Black-bearded Tomb Bat (Taphozous melanopogon) was described as a new species in 1841 by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. It is a small insect-eating bat that was named for the dark, beard-like tuft of fur on the chin of adult males. Its body is generally brownish to dark gray, with a slender build and relatively long wings adapted for fast, agile flight. The species is primarily nocturnal and feeds mainly on flying insects, which it catches in open spaces and around vegetation. It is highly colonial and can form massive aggregations and can form massive aggregations numbering thousands of individuals. It commonly roosts in sheltered places such as caves, rock crevices, old buildings, and other dark structures. It is capable of living near human settlements and may use man-made structures as alternative roosting sites. It emerges from its roost during the evening to forage, often flying rapidly above open areas while searching for insects. The species occurs across parts of South and Southeast Asia, and its range includes Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

 

The 16-piso stamp featuring the Black-bearded Tomb Bat is part of the Philippine Bats issue released on September 21, 2026. No Scott Catalogue number has been assigned to the stamp at present.

 

Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox
Acerodon jubatus

The Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox (Acerodon jubatus) was described as a new species in 1831 by German naturalist Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz. It is a large fruit bat endemic to the Philippines. It is distinguished by the golden or yellowish fur on the top of its head, contrasting with its dark brown body and wings. It is primarily a fruit-eater, with figs forming an important part of its diet. It generally roosts in large colonies in trees and favors mature lowland and secondary forests, although it may travel considerable distances between roosting and feeding sites. It is widely distributed in the Philippines but is absent from Palawan, Batanes and Babuyan Island. It is threatened by hunting, habitat loss, and disturbance of its roosting sites and is classified as Endangered.

 

The 16-piso stamp featuring the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox, identified on the stamp as "Golden Fruit Bat," is part of the Philippine Bats issue released on September 21, 2026. No Scott Catalogue number has been assigned to the stamp at present.

 

Greater Musky Fruit Bat
Ptenochirus jagorii

The Greater Musky Fruit Bat (Ptenochirus jagorii) was described as a new species in 1861 by German naturalist Wilhelm Peters. It was named after Fedor Jagor, who collected the holotype in Daraga, Albay. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its face has a dog-like appearance, with a short, stout muzzle, large eyes, and small ears that are pointed at the tips. Unlike some bat species, it is not highly gregarious and is often found roosting singly or in small groups. Its roosting habitat includes the cliffsides of shallow caves, as well as hollow trees. It can tolerate some degree of human disturbance and can persist in urbanized areas. It is frugivorous, its diet consists heavily of the fruits of plants, particularly wild figs.

 

The 16-piso stamp featuring the Greater Musky Fruit Bat, identified on the stamp as "Musky Fruit Bat," is part of the Philippine Bats issue released on September 21, 2026. No Scott Catalogue number has been assigned to the stamp at present.

 

Lesser Long-tongued Nectar Bat
Macroglossus minimus

The Lesser Long-tongued Nectar Bat (Macroglossus minimus) was first described in 1810 by French zoologist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. It has fine, relatively long reddish-brown fur, paler underparts, and a long, slender muzzle. It is a small fruit bat found in Thailand, Malaysia, southern Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and northern Australia. It feeds mainly on nectar and pollen, although it also consumes fruit, and its long tongue is specially adapted for feeding on flowers.

 

The 16-piso stamp featuring the Lesser Long-tongued Nectar Bat, identified on the stamp as "Lesser Long-tongued Bat," is part of the Philippine Bats issue released on September 21, 2026. No Scott Catalogue number has been assigned to the stamp at present.

 

Palawan Fruit Bat
Acerodon leucotis

Palawan Fruit Bat (Acerodon leucotis), also known as the Palawan Flying Fox, was described as a new species in 1950 by American mammalogist Colin Campbell Sanborn. It is a large fruit bat endemic to the Philippines specifically to the islands of Palawan, Balabac and Busuanga, where it inhabits lowland forests, mangroves, and other wooded areas. It has dark brown to blackish fur, with paler areas on the head and neck. It has a fox-like face, large eyes, and a wingspan of more than one meter. It feeds primarily on fruits and other plant material and is generally active at night. The species faces threats from habitat loss, hunting, and disturbance of its roosting sites.

 

The Palawan Fruit Bat has two recognized subspecies based on geographic distribution. Acerodon leucotis leucotis found on Busuanga Island, has paler, lighter-brown fur, prominent whitish, translucent ears, and a silvery head cap. Acerodon leucotis obscurus, found on Palawan and Balabac islands, has a darker, deeper-brown coat with less contrasting pale patches.

 

The 55-piso stamp featuring the Palawan Fruit Bat is from the souvenir sheet of the Philippine Bats issue released on September 21, 2026. No Scott Catalogue number has been assigned to the stamp at present.

 

Note:

• Stamps are shown at approximately their actual size. However, due to space constraints, long images may be reduced to fit the available viewing area. To view an image in greater detail, click on it to display a larger version.
• Only Philippine stamps depicting an identifiable species of bats are included in this list.
• Scott Catalogue numbers are provided when available. When no country is specified, the Scott Catalogue number refers to a Philippine stamp.
• Created: 26 September 2026

 

Topical Collection: Pangolin on Philippine Stamps

 

Topical Stamp | Animals | Mammal | Pangolin

 

The pangolin is a unique mammal known for its body covered in protective keratin scales. It belongs to the order Pholidota. There are eight living species of pangolins, classified into three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Pangolins are found mainly in parts of Asia and Africa.

 

Long-tailed Pangolin
Phataginus tetradactyla

The Long-tailed Pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) is found in parts of West and Central Africa. It mainly inhabits tropical forests, swamp forests, and areas near rivers and other sources of water. It has no teeth and feeds on ants rather than termites, which it catches using its long, sticky tongue. Long-tailed pangolins are mostly active at night and are excellent climbers, often spending much of their time in trees.

 

The pangolin depicted on the stamp was identified as a Philippine Pangolin, but it is actually a Long-tailed Pangolin. The original photograph, taken by Frans Lanting for the National Geographic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was used in the article How Simple Forensic Fingerprinting Could Help the World's Most Trafficked Mammal. The photograph was also used by WikiAnimals to illustrate its article about the Philippine Pangolin, which appears to have led to the animal being misidentified and subsequently misrepresented on the stamp. This stamp design error was brought to attention by Eric Cariaga in a post in the Facebook group of the Philippine Stamp Collectors' Society.

 

The Long-tailed Pangolin stamp (Scott #3634c) is part of the Philippine Endemic Wildlife miniature sheet of four stamps, released on November 11, 2015. The stamp has a face value of 15 piso.

 

Philippine Pangolin
Manis culionensis

The Philippine Pangolin (Manis culionensis) is a unique and endangered animal found only in the Philippines, particularly on Palawan and nearby islands. It is distinguished by its body covered in hard, overlapping scales, which provide protection from predators. The pangolin primarily feeds on ants and termites, using its long, sticky tongue to capture its prey.

 

Unfortunately, the Philippine Pangolin is threatened by illegal hunting, habitat loss, and the illegal wildlife trade. Its scales and meat are highly sought after, making the species particularly vulnerable to poaching. Protecting its natural habitat and enforcing wildlife protection laws are essential to ensuring its survival.

 

The pangolins found in the Philippines have undergone several taxonomic name changes. The species was first described as Pholidotus culionensis by Casto de Elera in 1915, who recognized it as a distinct species. However, because of its close resemblance to the Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica), Philippine populations were later assigned to M. javanica or treated as its subspecies. Alfred Feiler published in 1998 a morphological study highlighting significant physical differences between the Palawan populations and other Southeast Asian pangolins. His research suggested that the Philippine population had been isolated for a sufficiently long period to warrant recognition as a separate species. Philippe Gaubert and Agostinho Antunes conducted a comprehensive morphological reassessment in 2005. Their study provided further evidence supporting the distinction between the Philippine and Sunda pangolins and helped establish Manis culionensis as a valid species. Today, the Philippine Pangolin, Manis culionensis (de Elera, 1915), is recognized as a distinct species endemic to the Palawan faunal region of the Philippines.

 

The 5-piso Philippine Pangolin stamp (Scott #1408) is part of the Philippine Animals issue, released on May 14, 1979. The 6-piso stamp (Scott #2311c), identified it as Scaly Anteater (Manis javanica), is part of the Endemic Philippine Mammals, released on August 12, 1994.

 

Note:

• Stamps are shown at approximately their actual size. However, due to space constraints, long images may be reduced to fit the available viewing area. To view an image in greater detail, click on it to display a larger version.
• Only Philippine stamps depicting an identifiable species of pangolin are included in this list.
• Scott Catalogue numbers are provided when available. When no country is specified, the Scott Catalogue number refers to a Philippine stamp.
• Created: 22 August 2026
• Updated: 29 August 2026 | Added a 1994 stamp showing a Philippine Pangolin.