Demography of the Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat (<i>Epomophorus gambianus</i>) in Ghana.

ABSTRACT: We provide the first estimates of survival and reproductive rates for a population of the Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat Epomophorus gambianus in Ghana. We focused on a large colony of ca. 5,000 bats over 3 years to estimate population parameters including population size, birth rates, survival, and sex ratios for this species. Reproduction chronology was confirmed as seasonal bimodal polyestry, with births occurring in March/April and August/September each year. The estimated birth rate was 0.89 (95% CI = 0.85 to 0.92) per reproductive season. The overall sex ratio (female to male ratio) of the study population was male-dominated (0.69, 95% CI = 0.64 to 0.75), but female-biased for adults (62% female, χ² ₁ = 42, P < 0.0001), and showed temporal and age-sp

SUBMITTER: Amponsah-Mensah K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11776427 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature