In South Asia, this species roosts in abandoned mines and caves in forests (Molur et al. 2002). Its flight is fast and high and feeds on coleopterans and dipterans (Bates and Harrison 1997). Other than being a cave roosting species, there are few details available on the natural history of this species in China. In Myanmar and Viet Nam it is associated with limestone caves at an altitude of around 1,000 m asl, and has been found at a large cave in disturbed secondary growth forest. It has been recorded from in caves in secondary forest in Lao PDR and lowland tropical moist forest in Peninsular Malaysia (C. Francis pers. comm.). There are some records from forest caves.

This species ranges from northern South Asia, into southeastern China and Southeast Asia. In South Asia, this species is presently known from Bangladesh (Chittagong division), India (Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Uttaranchal and West Bengal), Nepal (Central and Western Nepal) and Pakistan (Khyberpakhtunkhwa) (Bates and Harrison 1997, Csorba et al. 2003, Srinivasulu and Srinivasulu 2012). In China it has been recorded from Sichuan, Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou and Guangxi. In Southeast Asia, it has generally been recorded from northern Myanmar and Thailand, northern Lao PDR and Viet Nam, Peninsular Malaysia (and the island of Tioman), Indonesia (Sumatra). Following Ingle and Heaney (1992), Tu et al. (2017) proposed exclusion of Philippines from this species’ range as specimens from the Philippines represent R. hirsutus. It has been recorded from 200 up to 1,692 m asl (South Asia) (Molur et al. 2002).

In South Asia, there are no direct conservation measures in place for this species. The species has not been recorded from any protected areas. Studies are needed to resolve the taxonomy of this species and the complex it represents and to know the exact distribution extent, biology, ecology and threats to this little-known species. Populations should be monitored to record changes in abundance and distribution. In view of its wide range in Southeast Asia, it seems probable that the species has been recorded from some protected areas, although this needs to be confirmed.