A Preliminary study on bats in a Small-scale Mining Site in South central Mindanao, Philippines

Land-use change and its associated activities have been strongly linked to the decline of many bat species populations glob- ally. This study was conducted with a primary goal to document the bat diversity on a small scale mining site in Baranggay Kinayao, Bagumbayan, Sultan, Kudarat, Philippines. A total of 227 individuals were identified, representing two families (Pteropodidae and Hipposideridae), eight genera, and eight species of bats. Three species are endemic to the Philippines namely Haplonycteris fischeri, Ptenochirus jagori, and the Vulnerable Megaerops wetmorei. Pteropodid Cynopterus brachyotis were found to be the most dominant and tolerant species in the area compared to all species combined. In addition, a significant decrease in bat activity was noted during active blasting period, as evidenced by a low capture rate compared to non-blasting period. This preliminary finding suggests the need for further exploration of how human-induced noise increase the effects of the land-use change to bat diversity and population

Occurrence and abundance of fruit bats in selected conservation areas of North Cotabato, Philippines

ABSTRACT A study on the occurrence and abundance of fruit bats (Pteropodidae) was done in two conservation areas in North Cotabato, Philippines: Portion of the Mt. Apo National Park ; Balabag, Kidapawan City and Cotabato Provincial Forest and Ecotourism Park (CPFEP), Amas, Kidapawan City. Seven species were recorded in CPFEP and six were noted in Balabag area identified from 449 individuals captured. Two species (Eonycteris spelaea and Rousettus amplexicaudatus) were unique to CPFEP while one (Ptenochirus minor) was found only in Balabag area. A total of eight species were recorded when accounting the species found in two areas in which, three are endemic to the country namely Haplonycteris fischeri, Ptenochirus jagori, and P. minor. Of these endemics, the first two were noted in CPFEP while all were found in Balabag area. More than half of the bats captured were Cynopterus brachyotis hence, considered as the most common species. Remarkable finding was the presence of Megaerops wetmorei, a threatened species, to have found in a new altitudinal record. Considering the importance of fruit bats in regenerating forest, urgent conservation measures are highly recommended

Leaping Forward or Crawling Backward? Efforts and Biases in Amphibian and Reptile Research on a Megadiverse Faunal Region in the Philippines

Research efforts to protect Philippine biodiversity have increased significantly. However, there is an imbalance in the distribution of published studies, with specific territories receiving more attention than others. Mindanao, a southern Philippine group of islands, is known for its high levels of endemism for amphibians and reptiles. Despite this, research on these groups remains scattered. To address this gap, we conducted a literature review focusing on amphibians and reptiles in the Mindanao faunal region. We found an increasing effort towards herpetofauna over the two decades, yet there is a clear bias in the effort towards amphibians compared to reptiles. Furthermore, we found that amphibians have a significantly higher species threat index than reptiles and all other vertebrate groups, regardless of species endemism and conservation status. Yet, threatened herpetofauna species and those facing greater threats are poorly studied in general. Understanding the factors driving research biases in Mindanao and the Philippines is essential to allow us to redirect research efforts to the most needed areas, particularly understudied and neglected taxa in Mindanao. This is especially urgent in the face of a changing climate, where diverse herpetofauna communities are at an increased risk of extinction. Consequently, by bridging these gaps in biodiversity information, we can effectively contribute to the conservation and understanding of biodiversity in the region