Underground Habitats as a Unit for Bat Conservation in Southwestern Kyrgyzstan
Dundarova H. Altybaev K. Mamatkalykov P. Momosheva G. Nizamiev A. kyzy B.S.
December 2021Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Acta Zoologica Bulgarica
2021#73Issue 4597 - 605 pp.
The study was conducted in Southwestern Kyrgyzstan, which is a transboundary territory. The presence of limestone rocks from the Carboniferous and Devonian age determines the availability of many underground sites. These characteristics make the area an important place for cave-dwelling bat species. Assessment of bat abundance, species richness, and conservation priority of each cave was estimated using the Bat Cave Vulnerability Index (BCVI) for the first time outside the tropics. The method revealed that two underground sites are the most threatened and in need of protection. These caves are easily accessible and under constant anthropogenic pressure. Significant maternity colonies of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rh. lepidus, Myotis blythii and M. emarginatus were confirmed in five caves. The most abundant summer colonies were found for M. blythii in two of these caves. We report for first time a maternity colony of Rh. lepidus in Kyrgyzstan due to its long-term erroneous identification as Rh. hipposideros. The results show that the IUCN conservation status of Rh. hipposideros must be reviewed and changed to Near Threatened or Vulnerable for the Central Asia region. The study will be used as a baseline for future conservation research on cave-dwelling bats and underground habitats in the region.
Caves , Central Asia , Chiroptera , Protection
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Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria
Osh State University, 331 Lenin Street Osh, 723500, Kazakhstan
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research
Osh State University
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