Vigilance Architecture and Temporal Variation in Emergence-Return of a Keystone Bat : The Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus)

Abstract

The current study investigated the function of vigilance in terms of environmental vigilance (anti-predatory), social vigilance and environmental cues bats used to synchronize their emergence and return. I found that the Pteropus giganteus fruit bats showed varying levels of vigilance according to roosting architecture. Bats showed significant increase in environmental vigilance towards the periphery of the roosts (n=3), thus confirming the edge effect hypothesis. Bats however, displayed no significant variation with respect to guard effect or social vigilance as roosting positions were observed from periphery to core. Bats also displayed increasing social vigilance from core to peripheral areas of the roosting colony