Patterns of foraging activity and fidelity in a southeast Asian flying fox

Authors: Elodie Schloesing, Rémi Chambon, Annelise Tran, Kinley Choden, Sébastien Ravon, Jonathan H. Epstein, Thavry Hoem, Neil Furey, Morgane Labadie, Mathieu Bourgarel, Hélène M. De Nys, Alexandre Caron, Julien Cappelle

Year: 2020

Journal: Movement Ecology

DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00232-8

Summary

This paper evaluates the influence of environmental and behavioral variables on the foraging patterns of Pteropus lylei (a reservoir of Nipah virus) in a heterogeneous landscape in Cambodia using GPS data.

Key Findings

Bats performed few foraging bouts during a given night, mainly in residential areas with decreasing duration over the night.
The probability of a bat revisiting a given foraging area within 48 h varied according to the duration previously spent there, its distance to the roost site, and the corresponding habitat type.

Methodology

Study Type: Observational
Sample Size: 8 P. lylei
Geographic Focus: Cambodia

Topics

Ecology, Virology

Relevance

This research provides insights into the foraging behavior of fruit bats, which are reservoirs of Nipah virus, in human-modified environments, highlighting potential pathogen transmission risks.

Source

View the entire paper: File:40462 2020 Article 232.pdf