DEHRADUN: A survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and the Natural History Museum of Geneva in Uttarakhand recorded echolocation calls of 32 species in the Himalayan state out of which echolocation of nine species has been recorded for the first time in the world.
Rohit Chakravarty, one of the chiroperologist from the team which conducted 'Nature Science Initiative' survey told The New Indian Express, "The recordings will help in studying these nine species better now as our database of recordings will act as a crucial baseline for future research by researchers and forest management authorities. The echolocation calls will be used to study and analyse the patterns of these nine species and to initiate the monitoring of bat populations."
The results of the survey have taken total bat species count to 49 for Uttarakhand which was earlier limited to 40.
The survey was published in 'Acta Chiropterologica', a biannual scientific journal published by Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences this month.
The survey was conducted between the year 2015-2018 across 22 sites in Uttarakhand including Dehradun, Mussoorie, Deval sari, Dhanaulti, Chamba, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Lans down, and Pangot in Nainital district in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state.
The sampling locations spanned elevations from 600 meters to 3,000 meters above sea level across the selected sites in the hill state.
The team trapped the bat species using specially designed traps to catch them without hurting after which their sounds were recorded using bat detectors and recorders which can catch the sound waves of frequency above 20 kiloHertz. Method of DNA sampling through blood samples was also used to identify the different species.
After rigorous exercise, processing, and phases of recording and identifying the species the team concluded that sounds of nine bat species were recorded for the first time in the world. Now, the database of recordings will enable researchers to conduct studies on these nine species easier than before.
Elaborating on the importance of the survey, Chakravarty added, "Bats play an important role in a variety of ecosystem services like pollination, seed dispersal, and insect pest control. So, this survey will contribute to the identification of these species across the globe which will help in gaining insight about their behaviour and their life patterns in the present era when we are facing challenges related to climate change."
"Bats are important biological indicators on account of their high species diversity, sensitivity to environmental changes, higher trophic position (of insectivorous bats), long life span, and slow reproductive rate," said Chakravarty.
This survey was undertaken after over 200 years and it was for the first time that an effort to create an echolocation call library and produce reference DNA barcodes of bats in this region was undertaken.
According to the survey, with over 1,400 species globally, bats form the second largest order of mammals. In India, bats constitute the most diverse mammalian order with 127 species.