Assessment of Fruit Bats Population, Activity Pattern and Food Preference in Mutulu Town, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2024-08
Authors
Lemma Gizaw
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Population size, activity pattern, and feeding habits Rousettus aegyptiacus fruit bats in mutulu town, west shoa, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Data was collected during wet and dry seasons. Direct observations were used as the species count. The number of individual was identified, such as adult and juveniles were identified, by using torch light and direct observation as well as their activity pattern and feeding habits were identified. The observations were made in mutulu town construction site that are abandoned and used by fruit bats. The results showed that a total of 200 individuals were observed of which 98 were adult and 102 were juveniles during wet season. The result during dry season showed that 84 adult and 82 juveniles. The activity pattern showed that feeding was the highest (75%) during the wet season and 48.2% during dry season followed by other activity. The feeding habits also showed that they mainly were observed feeding on fruit, nectar and insect. Bats play important ecological roles as prey and predator, arthropod suppression, seed dispersal; pollination, material and nutrient distribution recycle emphasized the need for conservation.
Description
Keywords
Population Size, Activity Pattern, Feeding Preference