Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Beauties Beneath

The Cave Bats of Meghalaya

  • General Article
  • Published:
Resonance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Despite its small geographic area, the northeastern state of Meghalaya harbour a very impressive 50% of the total bat species known from India. The opulent karst topography of the state supports a large number of caves and caverns, which in turn serve as a rich roosting ground for a large variety of bats. However, indiscriminate limestone and coal mining in the state has resulted in serious environmental damage, posing a grave threat to the existence and well-being of unique cave fauna, including bats. Some reconciliation between the conflicting interests of reaping economic benefits and conservation needs of fragile cave ecosystems is highly desired.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Suggested Reading

  1. M Walker et.al., Formal ratification of the subdivision of the Holocene series/epoch (quaternary system/period): Two new global boundary stratotype sections and points (GSSPs) and three new stages/subseries, Episodes, Vol.41, No.4, pp.213–223, 2018.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. E G Racovitza, Essai sur les problémes biospéologiques, Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale, 4a ser., 6, pp.371–488, [Edició Facsímil, In: Bellés X (Ed.) 2004, Assaig sobre els problemes bioespeleológics, Institut d’Estudis Catalans, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  3. U Saikia, A Thabah, O M Chachula, and M Ruedi, The bat fauna of Meghalaya, Northeast India: Diversity and conservation. In: Sivaperuman and Venkataraman (Eds): Indian Hotspots: Vertebrate faunal Diversity, Conservation and Management, Vol.2, Springer Nature Singapore Pvt Ltd., pp.263–286, 2018.

  4. M Ruedi, J Biswas, and G Csorba, Bats from the wet: Two new species of tube-nosed bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Meghalaya, India, Revue Suisse de Zoologie, Vol.119, No.1, pp.111–135, 2012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. S Kemp and B Chopra, The Siju cave, Garo Hills, Assam, Part I, Records of the Indian Museum, Vol.26, pp.3–22, 1924.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Y P Sinha, Bats of the Siju Cave, South Garo Hills District, Meghalaya, India: Taxonomy and Bionomics, Records of the zoological Survey of India, Vol.97, pp.101–122, 1999. Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Vol.6, pp.37–402, 1838.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Survey of India North Eastern Regional Centre, Risa Colony, Shillong, Meghalaya, 793 003, India

    Uttam Saikia

  2. Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology, Natural History Museum of Geneva, BP 6434, 1211, Geneva 6, Switzerland

    Manuel Ruedi

Authors
  1. Uttam Saikia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manuel Ruedi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Uttam Saikia or Manuel Ruedi.

Additional information

Uttam Saikia is working as a scientist in the North Eastern Regional Centre of Zoological Survey of India, Shillong. His current research interest is systematics of the bat fauna of India with particular interest in the Himalayan region.

Manuel Ruedi is a Curator in the Natural History Museum of Geneva and is interested in the systematics and biogeography of the Old World bats. He uses a combination of morphological and molecular approaches to reconstruct their evolution.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Saikia, U., Ruedi, M. Beauties Beneath. Reson 26, 829–840 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-021-1182-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-021-1182-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation