Flying foxes on Choiseul (Solomon Islands) – the need for conservation action

Bowen-Jones, Evan; Abrutat, D.; Markham, Brent J.; Bowe, S.

doi:10.1017/s0030605300022146

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Solomon Islands About 1,000 bats per month have been taken from limestone cave systems as an alternative protein to fish (Richardson, 1996) and fruit bat is an ‘occasional treat’ on the remote island of Choiseul (Bowen-Jones et al, 1997).…”

Section: The Use Of Bats As Bushmeatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bats as bushmeat: a global review

Mickleburgh

Waylen

Racey

2009

ORX

194

173

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A questionnaire survey and literature review revealed the extent of hunting of bats for bushmeat in the Old World tropics. High levels of offtake were reported throughout Asia, the Pacific islands and some Western Indian Ocean islands, where fruit bats of the genus Pteropus are eaten extensively. Most hunting in Africa was reported in western states and the largest fruit bat Eidolon helvum was preferred. Insectivorous bats are also eaten, particularly Tadarida in Asia. Hunting is both for local consumption and commercial, sometimes involving crossborder transactions. The high levels of hunting reported and the low reproductive rate of bats indicate there are likely to be severe negative effects on bat populations, and declines of several species are documented. Although there has been only one reported attempt to manage offtake, this indicates that it is possible and apparently successful. Furthermore, voluntary controls on hunting have halted declines in bat numbers. There have been several initiatives to reduce hunting pressure and conserve threatened bat species, mainly on islands that, when sustained, have been successful. More education projects and community-based conservation initiatives should be encouraged together with further attempts at sustainable harvesting in situations where disease risk has been evaluated.

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Section: The Use Of Bats As Bushmeatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bats as bushmeat: a global review

Mickleburgh

Waylen

Racey

2009

ORX

194

173

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“…Despite the importance of bats, virtually no baseline population data or monitoring exist for the majority of species (Fujita & Tuttle, 1991). Although historically abundant on the Pacific islands, there have been numerous accounts of declines in flying fox populations due to overhunting (Wodzicki & Felten, 1980;Wiles, 1992;Bowen-Jones et al, 1997). Pteropus tonganus tonganus is a subspecies of the Tongan flying fox P. tonganus, which has a distribution that includes American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Wallis and Futuna.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Tongan flying fox Pteropus tonganus: status, public attitudes and conservation in the Cook Islands

Cousins¹,

Compton

2005

Oryx

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In the Cook Islands the population of Pteropus tonganus tonganus is thought to be declining, but a lack of knowledge of its status, feeding and roosting requirements has precluded effective conservation plans. We surveyed P. t. tonganus on the Cook Islands through observations, counts and interviews with local residents. We estimated the population to be c. 1,730 on Rarotonga and 78 on Mangaia. A lack of suitable habitat on Mangaia was the most important factor affecting abundance. Overhunting appears to have reduced the populations on both islands. All roost sites were found in undisturbed forest on steep slopes and ridges in the inner and most inaccessible parts of the islands, with roost preference determined by the relative safety from humans rather than food availability. The residents of the Cook Islands seem generally unaware of the serious threat the bats face, with little thought for sustainable hunting. For successful conservation it will be important to alter people's negative perception of these mammals, promoting the value of the bats both ecologically and as a potential source of income from tourists. Habitat protection and enhancement, particularly on Mangaia, will be essential.

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“…Historically, flying foxes have been abundant on Pacific islands, but within recent years there have been dramatic population declines in many island countries (Wiles et al. 1989, Fujita & Tuttle 1991, Bowen-Jones et al 1997. Rapidly expanding human populations, deforestation of large tracts of land, and replacement of traditional hunting methods with shotguns have had drastic consequences on bat populations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Roosting Behavior of Colonial and Solitary Flying Foxes in American Samoa (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)¹

2000

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We examined characteristics of roosting sites utilized by two flying fox species (Pteropus tonganus and P. samoensis) in American Samoa. The colonial roosting sites of P. tonganus were observed over a ten‐year period, including two years when severe hurricanes devastated bat populations and destroyed roost trees. Prior to the hurricanes, roosts were located on cliff faces above the ocean or steep mountainsides, locations that were either inaccessible to people or in protected areas where hunting was not allowed. In the years immediately following the hurricanes, P. tonganus colonies split into smaller groups that moved frequently to different locations. Four years after the second hurricane, colonies had coalesced and returned to many of the traditional roosting sites used before the hurricanes. Common tree species in upland and coastal forest were selected as roosts. The isolated locations selected for P. tonganus roosts were apparently the result of hunting pressure on the colonies. The solitary roosts of P. samoensis were observed during 29 months. Roosting bats were well concealed and hard to detect within the forest; even bats on exposed branches were cryptic. Mature primary forest was favored as roosting habitat. Individual bats used specific branches or trees as roosts and returned to them for up to 29 months. Unlike P. tonganus, people did not alarm roosting P. samoensis easily and some roosts were located near houses and along roads.

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Flying foxes on Choiseul (Solomon Islands) – the need for conservation action

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

Bats as bushmeat: a global review

Bats as bushmeat: a global review

The Tongan flying fox Pteropus tonganus: status, public attitudes and conservation in the Cook Islands

Roosting Behavior of Colonial and Solitary Flying Foxes in American Samoa (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)¹

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Flying foxes on Choiseul (Solomon Islands) – the need for conservation action

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

Bats as bushmeat: a global review

Bats as bushmeat: a global review

The Tongan flying fox Pteropus tonganus: status, public attitudes and conservation in the Cook Islands

Roosting Behavior of Colonial and Solitary Flying Foxes in American Samoa (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)1

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Roosting Behavior of Colonial and Solitary Flying Foxes in American Samoa (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)¹