The Fruit Bats (Megachiroptera, Pteropodidae) from Bawakaraeng Mountain, South Sulawesi

A study of fruit bats (Pteropodidae) was conducted in the mountain region of Bawakaraeng, Gowa and Sinjai, South Sulawesi from September to December 2013. This study aims to determine the fruit bats composition and diversity, habitat preferences and relation between bats individual captured with the moon phases. Ten species (265 individuals) of fruit bats were captured using standardized mist netting in five habitat types and elevations. Shannon-Wiener indices were highest in mixed garden (1453 m asl) and lowest in pine forest (1545 m asl), with the highest evenness in mixed garden and pine forest. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) shows that the habitat preferences were found in the mixed garden (1453 m asl) and primary forest with a river stream (2000 m asl), while at moon phases, number of individual bats captured in the dark moon phase was higher than full moon phases. This study shows that the abundance of fruit bats tightly associated with food availibility. Borneo Science, Vol. 36, No. 1. Hal. 33-43