Abstract
Indian flying fox Pteropus giganteus (Brünnich, 1782) is one of the largest fruit bats (Pteropodidae) in the world. However, studies on seasonal variations and influence of weather parameters on diurnal roosting of this species in urban areas are almost non-existent. We carried out this study in a major urban landscape of India to determine which weather parameters influence diurnal roosting behaviours of Indian flying fox. Behavioural data was assessed through scan sampling method. Sleeping, thermoregulatory, locomotion and communicative behaviour, all of which varied significantly, showing highest incidences of sleeping followed by thermoregulatory, locomotion and communicative behaviours. Sleeping was negatively related with thermoregulatory, locomotion and communicative behaviours; thermoregulatory behaviour was positively related with locomotion and locomotion with communicative behaviour. Except sleeping, all other behaviours were positively related to temperature and were higher in summer than winter. Cloud cover negatively influenced sleeping and positively influenced thermoregulatory and locomotion behaviour; humidity negatively influenced thermoregulatory behaviour and rainfall negatively influenced locomotion behaviour of Indian flying foxes. Our findings might be useful for conservation of diurnal roosting sites of fruit bats in many urban landscapes in the recent scenario of changing climate and rapid urbanization throughout the globe.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to M.S. Roy, Nilanajna Roy and Suvrajyoti Chatterjee for their support in implementing the field work. Special thanks are due to Sweta Bhattacharya for her regular assistance in field during data collection and data entry. Infrastructural support extended by the Head, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta and the Principal, Shibpur Dinobundhoo Institution (College) are gratefully acknowledged. We also thank the Director of the Zoological Garden for his kind permission. Finally, we thank the anonymous reviewers for their suggestions in improving the manuscript.
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This paper contains findings of our original research. Applicable national and/or international guidelines for animal ethics were followed and no animal was harmed during the study. We adhered to the ethical standards in this study and in production of this manuscript.
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Roy, K., Saha, G.K. & Mazumdar, S. Seasonal influence on the diurnal roosting behaviour of free-ranging Indian flying fox Pteropus giganteus in an urban landscape, India. Biologia 75, 1955–1961 (2020). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00472-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00472-4