Population Status of Indian Flying Fox, Pteropus giganteus in Urban Guwahati, Assam, India: A Case Study

Pallavi Sharma^1, and Mandira Rai¹

¹Department of Environmental Science, Gauhati University, Jalukbari, Guwahati-781014, Assam, India

Cite this paper:
Pallavi Sharma and Mandira Rai. Population Status of Indian Flying Fox, Pteropus giganteus in Urban Guwahati, Assam, India: A Case Study. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2020; 8(5):287-293. doi: 10.12691/aees-8-5-16

Abstract

This study provides primary information about the population status the fruit bat species called Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus) in Guwahati city of Assam, Northeast India. The study revealed that the entire city had only two roosting sites, Pan Bazar roosting site and Judge Filed roosting site, both within close proximity of each other. During the three months study from March to May, 2018, peak colony size was observed in the month of May. At Pan Bajar roosting site, the total colony size of Indian flying fox was 1,137±10 in March, 1,345±10 in April and 1,380±10 in May. Eight species of roosting trees were observed which included Eucalyptus globusus, Delonix regia, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, Tamarindus indica, Polyalthia longifolia, Mangifera indica and Grevillea robusta. In the Judge filed roosting site, only two types of roosting trees were observed namely Eucalyptus globusus and Polyalthia longifolia. Here, the total colony size of was 152±10 in March, 170±10 in April and 179±10 in May. In both the cases, the bats have chosen large, tall and well exposed tree species as their roost. The roosting sites were also seen to be in close proximity to water bodies. The study also showed that increase in the built up area was posing a threat to the species which is playing a very important ecological role in seed dispersion and pollination. Further felling of trees in this rapidly growing metropolitan area will lead to complete extinction of this species from the urban landscape of Guwahati city.

Keywords:
Pteropus giganteus population roosting trees conservation habitat

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