JOURNAL OF BAT RESEARCH & CONSERVATION 18

Nithin Divakar, Mahalakshmi Chelladurai, Kambrath Deepak, Sreejith Sivaraman, Sreehari Raman, Peroth Balakrishnan

Abstract: Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat Latidens salimalii is a rare endangered bat species endemic to the humid mountains of southern Western Ghats, peninsular India. Here we report new distributional range of L. salimalii from Wayanad hills (60km north-west of the nearest known locality) and two new roosting sites in Anamalai hills of southern Western Ghats. We also report the lowest altitude of 312msl where the species is found, and suggests further surveys to understand its actual distribution and changes to populations.

Leroy Suzanne A.G., Whitehead Paul F., Lamarche Bruno

Abstract: Bat synecology is notoriously hard to comprehend. Here, we propose a method encompassing many aspects of the bat ecosystem, i.e. the combined study of pollen and insects in its faeces (guano) together with vegetation surveys. In 1998-2004, we sampled recent and sub-recent guano of an insectivorous bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum (Brünnich 1782), which accumulated in a cave in an Ordovician Esker on the Adrar Plateau of Mauritania at the southern limit of the Sahara. This region is largely unexplored and was closed to field work for many years. The results indicate foraging not only near the esker, but also in small settlements at least 30 km away from their roost, such as in Chinguetti and Atar, as well as in the oases. The entomofauna include species attracted to artificial lights. Pollen analyses reveal that the bats visited both natural and cultivated landscapes including temporary cultivation in grayir. Individual guano samples were often characterised by different pollen taxa, indicating different flowering periods. The bats were thus not only influenced by and dependant on the highly erratic sequences of vegetational development after very irregular precipitation, but also on human activities. Findings of parasites, probably from the bats, provide some additional indication of bat vigour. Our multidisciplinary approach is a powerful tool with which to reconstruct various aspects of a delicate desert ecosystem, on which bats, a service-provider mammal by control of insect populations, closely depends.

* The results of a study on a hyena dropping found in the same cave are provided in supplementary information. Titre, résumé et légendes en français disponibles en matériel supplémentaire.​

Viskontene Alex, Baeva Irina, Solntseva Svetlana

Abstract: In the Altai Republic Red List almost all bats have ʻData Deficient’-status, and knowledge of their ecology in the region is still fragmented. The aim of this study was to illuminate one blind spot in bat research in this territory and compare it with known data. Bats were trapped for the first time near the Multa lakes, Altai, Russia, in July 2023. We captured six bats of three species: the eastern water bat (Myotis petax), David’s myotis (Myotis davidii), and the Ikonnikov’s bat (Myotis ikonnikovi). In the bats` faeces, six orders of arthropods were found: Coleoptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, Neuroptera, Lepidоptera and Mesostigmata. The ectoparasites inhabiting the trapped Myotis were Macronyssus charusnurensis, Spinturnix bregetovae, Nycteribia quasiocellata and one Cimex cf. lectularius. No fleas were captured. Our results suggest that the bats near Multa Lakes are similar to those studied in Altai-Sayan Region of Southern Siberia.

R. Charles Anderson, Katrin Schweigler, Sreehari Raman

Abstract: We report two records of Wrinkle-lipped Free-tailed Bat, Mops plicatus (Buchannan 1800), from the Maldives. The first came on board a live-aboard diving vessel during the night of 24-25 March 2024 while it was anchored near Rasdhoo Island, Alifu Alifu Atoll. The second was rescued from the sea alongside another live-aboard vessel anchored off Mulhafushi Island, Haa Alifu Atoll, during the evening of 15 April 2024. Both were released alive and were subsequently identified from photographs and external body measurements. Wind trajectory analysis suggests that both may have been wind-blown from Sri Lanka or southwest India. These are the first records of this species and, indeed, only the second and third confirmed records of any insectivorous bat from the Maldives.

Tamily Carvalho Melo dos Santos, Caroline Carvalho de Melo, Rickelmy Martins de Holanda, Gerson Paulino Lopes

Abstract: Bats are among the most taxonomically and ecologically diverse mammalian groups, yet many aspects of their ecology, including predator–prey interactions, remain poorly understood. Predation is a key driver of evolutionary arms races but is rarely observed in natural settings, particularly interactions involving nocturnal and elusive animals. Among snakes, the Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulana) primarily prey on birds and mammals, including bats. Here, we report an observation of C. hortulana preying on a Seba’s short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata) in the Brazilian Amazon. Although bats appear to be an important food source for C. hortulana, our observation is only the fourth such record in the region. These records contribute to understanding the trophic interactions between bats and their predators, highlighting the need for further documentation of predation events in tropical ecosystems.

Melitjan Nezaj, Adnand Bego

Abstract: This work represents an important contribution to the continuous documentation of bats in the Albanian part of Prespa Lakes (with a total of 33 sites visited). Throughout these surveys conducted in four seasons, from 2023 to 2024, various locations such as caves, tunnels, bunkers, buildings, forested areas and bridges were monitored. This effort led to identifying 13 bat species, some of which are rarely seen in this region. These species include Hypsugo savii, Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis mystacinus, Myotis nattereri/emarginatus, Myotis capaccinii, Nyctalus leisleri, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rhinolophus hipposideros, Rhinolophus euryale, and possibly other medium-sized Rhinolophus species. The data collected highlight the high diversity of bat species and roosting sites in this part of the country. Notably, significant colonies of Mi. schreibersii, M. capaccinii, Rh. hipposideros, Rh. ferrumequinum, and mediumsized Rhinolophus were discovered. A combination of visual observations and mist netting was used. This study identified 17 sites showing current or previous signs of bat presence, with up to eight different species observed at one site and more than 3,140 bat specimens counted in a single season, shedding light on the most significant roosting sites and hibernacula in the area. Furthermore, the research presents data on the existing threats to bats and their habitats, along with recommendations for future conservation efforts.

Clever Gustavo C. Pinto, Sebastião Maximiano Corrêa Genelhú, Rafael de Souza Laurindo, Renato Gregorin

Abstract: Bats play a crucial role as floral visitors in the Neotropical Region, and are responsible for pollinating a variety of plant species. However, there is a lack of studies on this topic, particularly regarding interactions between these organisms. The objective of this study was to identify nectar-feeding bat species inhabiting the National Park Cavernas do Peruaçu (NPCP) and examine the temporal variation of these relationship. Plant species visited were identified by analyzing the pollen carried by bats. The study was conducted in the NPCP between December 2008 and November 2009, with four expeditions, one for each season, each lasting 20 nights. Pollen on the fur and skin of nectar-feeding bats was collected using double-sided tape and examined under an electron microscope in the laboratory. A total of 174 nectar-feeding bats from six different species were captured. The most abundant bat species was Glossophaga soricina (118 individuals), followed by Anoura caudifer (21), Lonchophylla cff. mordax (15), L. cff. dekeyseri (13), A. geoffroyi (4), and Lionycteris spurrelli (3). Nineteen distinct pollen types were collected from the nectar-feeding bats in the NPCP, with Bauhinia forficata being the most prevalent and present in 71 individuals. Pollen types associated with chiropterophily, such as from Hymenaea spp., Caryocar brasiliense, and Pseudobombax spp, were also common. The utilization of floral resources by nectar-feeding bats was consistent within the NPCP. Variation in the pollen load on bats was noted across the seasons, coinciding with differing phenological patterns of the visited plants. Analyzing the pollen present in the bats serves as an effective tool to enhance our understanding of the use of floral resources by the nectar-feeding bats.

Sreejith Jayakumar, Rohit Chakravarty

Abstract: Otomops wroughtoni is one of the rarest and most enigmatic species of bats in South and Southeast Asia. The species was first discovered from Barepede caves in Karnataka, India. In subsequent years a single individual was reported from Cambodia followed by discoveries of a few roosts in Northeast India. The species was initially classified as Critically Endangered but later it was moved to Data Deficient category in the IUCN status due to the lack of knowledge regarding its habitat, breeding, diet, distribution and population. The species is also listed in the schedule I of The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 granting it the highest level of protection in India. We report a new distribution record of Otomops wroughtoni from the northern part of the Western Ghats, 250km north from its previously known distribution. We recorded 69 acoustic detections of the species over 54 nights while comparing bat activity in areas with and without wind turbines. The presence of this protected bat species within a wind farm raises critical concerns, as wind farms are a known global threat to open-space foraging bats. This study reinstates the value of acoustic surveys in identifying the distribution of data-deficient, high-altitude, open-space foraging bats. As the only recordings of individuals away from known roosts, our observations provide an understanding of the natural history and habitat of a poorlyknown species.

Daniel Fernández-Alonso, Juan Tomás Alcalde

Resumen: El nóctulo mediano (Nyctalus noctula) se distribuye por casi toda Europa. Sin embargo su presencia es desigual, conociéndose hasta el momento tan sólo una colonia de cría de la especie en la península ibérica, situada en Aranjuez (Madrid). En los años 2024 y 2025 se han realizado muestreos con cámara de infrarrojos y con trampas de captura en las colonias de Almazán y de Milagro. En ambos lugares se conocía la presencia de refugios de estos quirópteros, pero hasta ahora no se había confirmado la presencia de hembras lactantes en época de cría, siendo positivo el resultado del muestreo en ambos casos. En ambos casos se trata de oquedades en álamos blancos, Populus alba junto a tramos lentos de grandes ríos, el Duero y el Aragón, siendo en apariencia más numerosa la colonia de Almazán. Sin embargo, no ha sido posible realizar un censo detallado de ninguna de las dos poblaciones, ya que no se puede descartar la presencia de más árboles ocupados de los hasta la fecha detectados, ni se han podido censar los refugios conocidos de manera simultánea. La escasez de lugares de cría de esta especie en la península ibérica hace recomendable la mejora de la protección legal de los árboles refugio, especialmente de las colonias de Almazán y Aranjuez que actualmente se hallan desprotegidas. Se recomienda mejorar la identificación y el conocimiento de los árboles refugio donde crían las colonias y realizar un seguimiento anual de las mismas.

Abstract: The common noctule (Nyctalus noctula) is distributed almost all over Europe. However the presence is not equal. In the iberian peninsula only one breeding colony is known. In the years 2024 and 2025 some infrarred videocameras and harp trap prospections have been done in the Milagro and Almazán colony. In both places the Nyctalus noctula presence has been known. However we never located breeding females in the breedig session so we thought that colony was only a swarming agrupation. In that prospection we found breeding females in both places. The two colonies are located in Populus alba trees near slow sections of big rivers (Duero and Aragon rivers). Apparently the bigger colony is located in Almazán but we couldn’t count any colony accurately. The small number of breeding places of these species make necessary to improve the proteccion of their trees. Improving the identification of the roost is also recomended.