Diversity and activity rate of a bat communities in a voluntary nature reserve in the Agneby-Tiassa region (South-East, Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

In order to provide basic data on the specific diversity of bats in a private forest of fifty hectares, located in the Agnéby-Tiassa region (South-eastern Côte d'Ivoire), a study was carried out there from August 26 to October 15, 2018. This was conducted in three types of habitats represented by a forest, a wetland and an edge zone. Sixty-three individuals were captured using mist nets during 38 days, from 18h00 to midnight. Twelve species of bats belonging to nine genera and five families have been inventoried. This community is dominated by Epomops buettikoferi, Scotonycteris zenkeri, Nanonycteris veldkampi, Macronycteris gigas, Hipposideros caffer and Mops thersites. The activity study has shown that Microchiroptera are most active from 18h30 to 20h while bats' activity is most intense from 21h30 to 23h00. The forest, the wetland and the edge zone are respectively the most diversified in species of bats. Epomops buettikoferi, Nanonycteris veldkampi and Hipposideros caffer activities are positively correlated with forest and edge zone while Macronycteris gigas, Mops thersites, Scotophilus nux and Eidolon helvum have a greater affinity for the wetland.