Abundance, roost characteristics and flora dispersed by African straw-coloured fruit bat Eidolon helvum from two sites in southwest, Nigeria

Abstract

We examined abundance, roost characteristics, and flora dispersed by E. helvum. This study was conducted at two locations which are; University of Ibadan, Oyo and Bowen University Iwo, Osun State. Estimate of bat counts per roost tree were obtained by enumerating the number of clusters on each branch of the tree. Data on ejecta and feaces were collected twice in a week below roost tree for 12 weeks at the two locations, by placing polythene bags in a randomly chosen 1m². Seventy-One Thousand, Nine Hundred and One (71,901) E. helvum individuals were counted within the observation period on fiftynine (59) trees comprises twenty (20) species. Funtumia elastica species had the largest percentage ground cover among the roosting trees while Piptadenniastrum africana, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Ceiba pentandra, Mangifera indica roost tree species had largest circumferences. Eidolon helvum feed on the genus "Ficus", identified as "F. mucuso, F. polita, F. exasperata and F. lutea"; Psidium guajava and Carica papaya. The study concluded that Eidolon helvum helps in the dispersal of seedlings commonly of the genus "Ficus", and some edible fruits consumed by humans such as common P. guajava and C. papaya, therefore playing an important role in mediating habitat loss and succession respectively in many peri-urban areas in southwest, Nigeria