Abstract
The number of bats roosting in the caves was estimated monthly by emergence counts carried out during one year of this study. First the number of bats roosting in the outer chamber of the cave was estimated by dividing the walls into 10 segments and counting the bats roosting on these segments, in tens, using a hand tally counter. Then at dusk, bats emerging from the cave entrance in one-minute periods every five minutes were counted, in estimated groups of 50, using a hand tally counter, and the number of bats emerging in five-minute periods throughout the emergence was estimated by multiplication. Results: Two bat species inhabited the cave. An estimated 5,000 Taphozous theobaldi roosted in the outer chamber. Tadarida plicata roosted in the inner chamber. The total number of bats emerging from the cave at dusk was estimated to be 200,000, so 195,000 of these were T. plicata. The average weight of guano removed from the southern cave of the Sudaung complex from 2003–2005 is shown in Table 1, and amounted to 36 tons per annum. The cave was 9m high and the majority of the roosting bats were not disturbed by guano collection although a few individuals flew around inside the cave. Collectors removed all available guano except for a damp layer on the cave floor. The higher rate of guano removal during July and August coincided with the rainy season when insects were more abundant.
Published Version
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