{"id":5258,"date":"2021-02-19T09:33:16","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T09:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/?page_id=5258"},"modified":"2021-05-10T15:04:57","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T15:04:57","slug":"mauritius-fruit-bat-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Mauritius Fruit Bat Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"5258\" class=\"elementor elementor-5258\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64cd21f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64cd21f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4b90c6e sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"4b90c6e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f556657 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f556657\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1280\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville.jpg\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"Fruit Bat\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-400x220.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-1024x562.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-768x422.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-370x203.jpg 370w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-760x417.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-387x213.jpg 387w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-500x275.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville-600x330.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4e9969e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4e9969e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-132a0c4 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"132a0c4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bbdc5dc sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bbdc5dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a6cffa sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"7a6cffa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e5dbf7e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e5dbf7e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d5cf1d sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"4d5cf1d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86a9225 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"86a9225\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Without bats, no forests. Without forests, no biodiversity<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-976356b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"976356b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b28c4f4 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"b28c4f4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1386d86 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1386d86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><p>Imagine pristine Mauritius, with lush vegetation, numerous birds, giant tortoises, reptiles of all sizes and colours, and three species of fruit bats flying in the sky. The Mauritian ecosystem was at its best. The small Mauritian flying fox (<em>Pteropus subniger<\/em>), The Rodrigues fruit bat (<em>Pteropus rodricensis<\/em>) and the Mauritius flying fox (<em>Pteropus niger<\/em>) all at once lived in Mauritius. These bats were frugivorous, i.e., their diet were mainly composed of native fruits, sometimes supplemented by leaves, flowers and nectar. Their respective roles in the Mauritian ecosystem were invaluable, where they fulfilled ecological keystone roles as pollinators and seed dispersers. Many trees that flying foxes pollinate or disseminate are themselves keystone species like figs, or canopy trees that act as ecosystem engineers- species that shape an entire ecosystem, by providing conditions and resources to many other animal and plant species. However, island flying-foxes are among the most vulnerable bats in the world and this situation is exemplified in Mauritius. Human colonisation in 1638 and the rapid habitat destruction that followed spared only about 5 % of native vegetation, with countless of species driven to extinction. Extensive deforestation and hunting drove <em>Pteropus subniger<\/em> to a global extinction and <em>Pteropus rodricensis<\/em> to a local extinction, leaving the Mauritius flying fox as the last survivor of the three endemic <em>Pteropus<\/em> species that once lived in Mauritius.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4e79699 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4e79699\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-16edfba sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"16edfba\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f5966a scheme_dark sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-trx_sc_promo\" data-id=\"0f5966a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"trx_sc_promo.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div  id=\"trx_sc_promo_1881408640\"        class=\"sc_promo scheme_dark sc_promo_stereo sc_promo_size_large sc_promo_image_position_left\"><div class=\"sc_promo_image\" style=\"background-image:url(\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-Ashmittt.jpg);width:95%;left: 0;height:542px;\"><\/div><!-- \/.sc_promo_image --><div class=\"sc_promo_text\" style=\"float: right;\">\n        <div class=\"sc_promo_text_inner trx_addons_inline_2064547962\"><div class=\"promo_content_wrap\"><h3 class=\"sc_item_title sc_promo_title sc_item_title_style_default sc_item_title_tag trx_addons_inline_211296531\"><span class=\"sc_item_title_text\">DID YOU KNOW?<\/span><\/h3><div class=\"sc_item_descr sc_promo_descr\"><ul class=\"trx_addons_list_custom\">\n<li>\nBats were the only mammals to be able to naturally colonise Mauritius.<\/li>\n<li>Mauritius fruit bats (<i>Pteropus niger<\/i>) are known to feed on over 40 native tree species.<\/li>\n<li>Mauritius fruit bats (<i>Pteropus niger<\/i>) are keystone species for the ecosystem, by meditating long-distance seed dispersal and pollination.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div><\/div><!-- \/.sc_promo_text --><\/div><!-- \/.sc_promo -->\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5787d64 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5787d64\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-37ebca4 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"37ebca4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd84377 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dd84377\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h5>1. The Mauritius fruit bat (<i>Pteropus niger<\/i>)<\/h5><p>Owing to the extinction of the other Pteropus bats (<i>Pteropus rodricensis <\/i>still survives on Rodrigues island), the giant tortoises, the dodo and other vertebrates that ate native fruits, the Mauritius flying-fox is now the largest native frugivore and seed disseminator on Mauritius! Human-caused extinctions in Mauritius have therefore elevated the seed disseminating and <i>pollinating importance of the Mauritius flying-fox<\/i>. Native canopy tree species such as<i> Sideroxylon spp., Mimusops spp., Ebony (Diospyros spp.,<\/i>) and <i>Labourdonnaisia spp.<\/i>, are known to have their fruits dispersed by <i>P. niger.<\/i> <i>Labourdonnaisia spp.<\/i>, show adaptations to, and possibly a dependence on, seed dispersal by the Mauritius flying-fox. Yet, <i>P. niger<\/i> is threatened by several factors in Mauritius.<br \/>Due to a slight increase in bats\u2019 populations during the last decade, there has been increasing claims that bats do considerable damage to commercial fruit crops like litchi and mangoes. As of such, the endemic fruit bat is seen as a pest and fruit farmers have been lobbying the Mauritian authorities since 2002 to remove legal protection of<i> <\/i>the endangered Mauritius fruit bat.<br \/><br \/><br \/><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-5327 size-ekoterra-thumb-big\" src=\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-Ash_Bunsy111-790x518.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"790\" height=\"518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-Ash_Bunsy111-790x518.jpg 790w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-Ash_Bunsy111-390x255.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-Ash_Bunsy111-195x128.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-Ash_Bunsy111-706x464.jpg 706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><\/p><p>In 2015, this lobbying was successful, with the passing of new law that enabled to mass cull both native and alien species, deemed to be pests and a first cull was implemented in that same year, followed again in 2016. In combination of elevated levels of illegal hunting and persecution that these two culls caused, it is estimated that more than 40,000 bats were killed. In 2018, the IUCN elevated the conservation status of the Mauritius fruit bat from \u2018Vulnerable\u2019 to \u2018Endangered\u2019 because of the mass shootings and illegal hunting.<\/p><p>Even yet, in 2018, another shooting exercise was done, despite numerous calls from local and international conservation bodies.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2e76b72 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2e76b72\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fe6f1b1 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"fe6f1b1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34069dc sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"34069dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h6>Orchards<\/h6><p>We have been working in litchi and mango orchards since 2015 to assess the damage caused by fruit bats and introduced birds such as Red-whiskered bulbul<i> (Pycnonotus jocosus)<\/i>, common myna<i> (Acridotheres tristis)<\/i>, and the ring-necked parakeet<i> (Psittacula krameri)<\/i>, mammals like the crab-eating macaque<i> (Macaca fascicularis)<\/i> and black rats (<i>Rattus rattus<\/i>) to litchis and mangoes. Our results (unpublished) clearly show that decision to mass cull the endemic fruit bat is contra-evidence. Despite mass killings done since 2015, the damage to fruit trees has not decreased- on the contrary fruit damage by bats and other animals have increased. The culling campaigns do not increase the fruit production, nor does it decrease the damage done to commercial fruits. We have also completed a research study of several tree netting variants in different orchards across Mauritius. Our findings show that use of nets on fruiting trees can result in as much as a 23-fold reduction in the damage caused by bats if nets are applied correctly.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4ea8a30 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4ea8a30\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-df2fba4 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"df2fba4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-640ae3e sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"640ae3e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Orchards\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-370x278.jpg 370w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-760x570.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-387x290.jpg 387w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Trees-with-repellent-soaked-flags.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ed9110 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-gallery\" data-id=\"3ed9110\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-gallery\">\n\t\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-5258 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"3ed9110\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"dipping flags into repellent\" data-elementor-lightbox-description=\"Orchards\" title=\"Orchards\" href='https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dipping-flags-into-repellent.jpg'><img width=\"195\" height=\"128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dipping-flags-into-repellent-195x128.jpg\" class=\"attachment-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb size-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb\" alt=\"Orchards\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-5400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dipping-flags-into-repellent-195x128.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/dipping-flags-into-repellent-390x255.jpg 390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-5400'>\n\t\t\t\tOrchards\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"3ed9110\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Flag making\" data-elementor-lightbox-description=\"Orchards\" title=\"Orchards\" href='https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Flag-making.jpg'><img width=\"195\" height=\"128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Flag-making-195x128.jpg\" class=\"attachment-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb size-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb\" alt=\"Orchards\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-5401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Flag-making-195x128.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Flag-making-790x518.jpg 790w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Flag-making-390x255.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Flag-making-706x464.jpg 706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-5401'>\n\t\t\t\tOrchards\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"3ed9110\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Ragilen fixing flag up tree\" data-elementor-lightbox-description=\"Orchards\" title=\"Orchards\" href='https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Ragilen-fixing-flag-up-tree.jpg'><img width=\"195\" height=\"128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Ragilen-fixing-flag-up-tree-195x128.jpg\" class=\"attachment-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb size-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb\" alt=\"Orchards\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-5402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Ragilen-fixing-flag-up-tree-195x128.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Ragilen-fixing-flag-up-tree-390x255.jpg 390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-5402'>\n\t\t\t\tOrchards\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"3ed9110\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"soaking flags into repellent\" data-elementor-lightbox-description=\"Orchards\" title=\"Orchards\" href='https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/soaking-flags-into-repellent.jpg'><img width=\"195\" height=\"128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/soaking-flags-into-repellent-195x128.jpg\" class=\"attachment-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb size-ekoterra-thumb-gallery-thumb\" alt=\"Orchards\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-5404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/soaking-flags-into-repellent-195x128.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/soaking-flags-into-repellent-390x255.jpg 390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-5404'>\n\t\t\t\tOrchards\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3e4f0fc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3e4f0fc\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1ed2958 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-id=\"1ed2958\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28f15e1 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"28f15e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h6>Movement Ecology<\/h6>\nAnother project in line to mitigate the fruit bat conflict was to track movement of <i><a href=\"https:\/\/movementecologyjournal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40462-019-0156-6\" target=\"_blank\">flying foxes by means of solar-powered GPS\/ GSM tags<\/a><\/i>. Determining movements of P. niger is important for management and conservation, for understanding potential responses to environmental change, and for understanding population admixture.\n<h6>Bat deterrents\/ repellents<\/h6>\nAlong with local collaborators, we are also testing alternatives to tree netting. It is for the first time that non-lethal bat deterrents will be tested in Mauritius.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Without bats, no forests. Without forests, no biodiversity Imagine pristine Mauritius, with lush vegetation, numerous birds, giant tortoises, reptiles of all sizes and colours, and three species of fruit bats flying in the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5286,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Mauritius Fruit Bat Project - ERA Indian Ocean<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Imagine pristine Mauritius, with lush vegetation, numerous birds, giant tortoises, reptiles of all sizes and colours, and three species of fruit bats flying in the sky. The Mauritian ecosystem was at its best. The small Mauritian flying fox (Pteropus subniger), The Rodrigues fruit bat (Pteropus rodricensis) and the Mauritius flying fox (Pteropus niger) all at once lived in Mauritius.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mauritius Fruit Bat Project - ERA Indian Ocean\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Imagine pristine Mauritius, with lush vegetation, numerous birds, giant tortoises, reptiles of all sizes and colours, and three species of fruit bats flying in the sky. The Mauritian ecosystem was at its best. The small Mauritian flying fox (Pteropus subniger), The Rodrigues fruit bat (Pteropus rodricensis) and the Mauritius flying fox (Pteropus niger) all at once lived in Mauritius.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ERA Indian Ocean\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ERAindianocean\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-05-10T15:04:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"703\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/\",\"name\":\"ERA Indian Ocean\",\"description\":\"Ecosystem Restoration Alliance, Indian Ocean\\u200b\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/C-J.-Speville.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":703,\"caption\":\"Fruit Bat\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/\",\"name\":\"Mauritius Fruit Bat Project - ERA Indian Ocean\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.era-indianocean.org\/template\/mauritius-fruit-bat-project\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-02-19T09:33:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-05-10T15:04:57+00:00\",\"description\":\"Imagine pristine Mauritius, with lush vegetation, numerous birds, giant tortoises, reptiles of all sizes and colours, and three species of fruit bats flying in the sky. 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