Diet, Roost Type Of Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus Sphinx) And Activity Of Fulvous Fruit Bat (Rousettus Leschenaultia) In Winter In Hainan Island

Fruit bat lives in tropica and sub-tropica area, there are about 10 kinds of fruit bats distributed in China, especially in South China and South West of China, (some controversial opinions exist on kinds of fruit bats in china). Greater short-nosed fruit bat and Fulvous fruit bats are great number in China. They feed on lots of wild and cultivated plants, nectars and pollens. Activity areas of these two species of fruit bats highly overlap in our study area in Hainan Island.Greater short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx is a widely distributed pteropodid bat species in Hainan Island, South China. Ecological study implies the functions and values of this vulnerable species in ecosystem. Diet and roost types of C. sphinx were carried out from the early of Octobor, 2005 to the end of Janurary, 2006 in Haikou by direct observation, systematical searching, fecal sampling and analysis in each week. We used mist net to capture bats around their feeding and daily roosts in order to obtain fecal samples to identify food items eaten by C. sphinx. The results indicate that C. sphinx feeds on fruits of 11 plant species with 9 families,leaves of 2 plant species with 2 families as well as stem of 1 plant species. Meanwhile, our investigation indicated that Greater short-nosed fruit bat use leaves of coconut trees, abandoned house and some old temples as their daily roost. Most colonies were consisted of 2 to 19 individuals except some solitary individuals.Fulvous fruit bats, Rousettus leschenaultia (Chiroptera, Pteropodidae), were followed by radio-tracking in Northwest suburb of Haikou city, Hannan Island, China during Nov 25, 2005 and Jan 14, 2006. There were no significant differences by sex in the period between sunset and departing from daily roost (T-test, t=0.853,p>0.05), but significant differences were detected in foraging activity time by sex at night (T-test, t=-5.2,p<0.05): foraging activity of males last 391.8±14.2 min and that of female last 533.7±21.4 min at night. Based on 93 radiotelemetry positions, mean home range for 3 individuals was 1138-3867 ha, long axes of home range were 7.45-11.7 km. The home range of different individuals showed a little overlap, and foraging areas of females were more than that of male. We conclude that gregarious fruit bat species has a larger territory than those solitary fruit bat species.