Fruit bats in flight: a look into the movements of the ecologically important Eidolon helvum in Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many ecologically important plants are pollinated or have their seeds dispersed by fruit bats, including the widely distributed African straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum). Their ability to fly long distances makes them essential for connecting plant populations across fragmented landscapes. While bats have been implicated as a reservoir of infectious diseases, their role in disease transmission to humans is not well understood. In this pilot study, we tracked E. helvum to shed light on their movement patterns in Tanzania and possible contact with other species.

Methods

Tracking devices were deployed on 25 bats captured in the Morogoro Municipal and Kilombero District area near the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. Nightly flight patterns, areas

SUBMITTER: Randhawa N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7402849 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature