THE BAT SPECIES IN CAMOTES ISLANDS, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

Bats are an integral part of our ecosystem. We may not see them very much because they are nocturnal and live a very secluded life.
In the Philippines there are 1, 100 species which can be found in forests, islands and anywhere wherein there are trees for them to live into.
Cebu Island is said to be as one of the degraded areas in the country. Thus, people need to conserve and preserve the species in the locality.
The Bat Species in Camotes Islands, Cebu, Philippines is the study conducted by the researchers of Cebu Technological University looked for the bat species in the Islands of Camotes particularly in Montealegre, San Francisco and Pagsa, Poro.
The researchers found out that there are a total of 101 bats representing three different species of fruit bats. 79 individuals were captured in Pagsa, Poro and 22 in Montealegre, San Francisco. The 55 individuals were the common short- nosed fruit bat (Cynopteros bracyotis), 32 were the common rousette (Rousettus amplixicaudatus) and 14 were the dagger- toothed flower bat ( Macroglossus minimus).
These species were caught within five days. Two days of netting in Montealegre, San Francisco and three days in Pagsa, Poro with a total of 75 net nights, 30 nets in Montealegre and 45 in Pagsa.
This result is considered as the indicator that the forest habitat in the study sites is in disturbed and in degraded condition.
Therefore, the conservation effort of the islands is imperative. The evasion of continuously cutting of trees or kaingin making can help the bat species in the islands be conserved and preserve.
By: Christianne Eric T. Orbiso