Buettikofer's Epauletted Bat

conservation

Conservation: IUCN / SSC Action Plan (1992) – Vulnerable; IUCN 2003 – Vulnerable.

Order Chiroptera - Family Pteropodidae

activity

Activity patterns. Female Buttikofer’s Epauletted Fruit Bats leave their roosts at dusk and forage throughout the night. Males establish calling stations and call for several hours a night until about midnight when they begin to forage. For mating, males form an “ exploded ” lek along riverbanks, and they emit loud rhythmic calls (* kyonks ”) at a rate of one per second; rate increases when females approach. Females actively select calling males and copulate. Activity in leks changes with the season; during mating periods (February — April and August-December), calling starts at ¢. 19: 45 h. Outside this period, moonlight restricts activity: only a limited number of males call during moonlit nights starting at ¢. 21: 15 h, whereas on dark nights, most males call and start at ¢. 20: 15 h.

Pteropodidae

biology_ecology

Habitat. West African Rainforest and Northern Rainforest-Savanna mosaic biotic zones and sometimes Guinea Savanna areas at elevations of 656 - 1175 m. Buttikofer’s Epauletted Fruit Bat seems to prefer moist savannas, although it penetrates into lowland rainforests, disturbed forests, secondary bush, cultivated land, gallery forests, and edges of closed forest.

Pteropodidae

biology_ecology

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Buttikofer’s Epauletted Fruit Bats generally roost alone in dense foliage along gallery forest edges.

Pteropodidae