Turkish Journal of Zoology
Abstract
Food habits, nutrient preferences, and roost variations of Indian flying fox Pteropus giganteus were investigated for a period of 1 year in two public parks in Lahore, Pakistan. Bolus and guano samples of P. giganteus were collected on a monthly basis, and seeds of 32 plant species belonging to 23 genera and 15 families were identified from the ejecta samples. Of these 32 food species, 8 were native and 24 were exotic; 13 were commercially important, while 19 species had no mercantile value. Proximate analysis of the food items revealed that fruits with comparatively higher moisture content were utilized during summer; fruits having relatively higher carbohydrates, fibers, protein, fats, phosphorous, iron, and sodium were used during winter; diets having relatively greater calcium and vitamin C contents were used during autumn; and phosphorous-rich diets were used during spring. Permanent roosting trees (n = 50) representing 17 families, 19 genera, and 21 species were monitored to record the abundance and roost fidelity of P. giganteus. The maximum number of bats (n = 425) was recorded for Dalbergia sissoo during summer, Kigelia pinnata (n = 270) during spring, Celtis australis (n = 374) during autumn, and Cedrela toona (n = 330) during winter.
DOI
10.3906/zoo-1512-24
Keywords
Roost fidelity, seasonal food, proximate analysis, nutrient preference, ejecta, Pteropus giganteus
First Page
714
Last Page
721
Recommended Citation
JAVID, A, GULRAIZ, T, ASHRAF, M, NADEEM, M, HUSSAIN, S. M, ALTAF, M, & BABU, I (2017). Proximate analysis of Indian flying fox's (Pteropus giganteus) natural food, with a note on its roost variations in urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan. Turkish Journal of Zoology 41 (4): 714-721. https://doi.org/10.3906/zoo-1512-24
