eISSN: 2672-7226
© Penerbit UMT
Journal of Sustainability Science and Management
Volume 16 Number 7, October 2021: 237-259
CURRENT STATUS OF BAT DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
IN UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA AND ITS FOREST RESERVES
MARINA, M.T.
1,4
*, CHUBO, J.K.
2
, SENAWI, J.
3
, NUR FARRAZUIN, J.
4
AND AHMAD BADRUL
AMIN, A. R.
4
1
Centre of Foundation Studies for Agricultural Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor.
2
Department
of Forestry Science, Faculty of Agricultural Science and Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus,
97000, Bintulu, Sarawak.
3
Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor.
4
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra
Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor.
*Corresponding author: marinamohd@upm.edu.my
Submitted fnal draft: 6 April 2021 Accepted: 14 April 2021
Introduction
Bats (Order: Chiroptera) are fascinating
mammals that hold an important place in our
ecology. It represents about 50% of mammal
species in tropical forests and 20% in the world
(Lim et al., 2017). Chiroptera is the second
largest order among mammals with more than
1,400 species from 21 extant families have been
described worldwide (Simmons & Cirranello,
2020). Bats can be divided into two suborders:
Yinpterochiroptera (represented by seven
families) and Yangochiroptera (represented by
14 families) (Springer, 2013). Globally, forested
areas are the primary habitat that support the
highest diversity of bat species (Russo et al.,
2016). Bats are also among the most diverse
mammals’ group available in urban areas (van
der Ree & McCarthy, 2005; Jung & Kalko,
2011). According to Francis (2019), Phillipps
and Phillipps (2018) and Senawi and Norhayati
(2021), there are about 143 species of bats found
in Malaysia, representing 10% of the world’s
bats population. Recently, 113 bat species have
been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia (eg: Khan
et al., 2008; Lim et al., 2014; Francis, 2018;
William-Dee, 2019) and 94 have been found in
Malaysian Borneo (eg: Khan et al., 2007; Benda
2010; Phillipps & Phillips, 2018; Khan et al.,
2019; Mohd-Azlan et al., 2019; Senawi et al.,
2020; Senawi & Norhayati, 2021).
Universiti Putra Malaysia is one of the
largest green campuses (Aris et al., 2018) in
Malaysia. The uniqueness of UPM is that the
campus consists of the main campus in Serdang
Abstract: Universiti Putra Malaysia consists of three main areas, namely Serdang main
campus in Selangor (UPMSC), Bintulu campus in Sarawak (UPMKB) and the UPM forest
in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (AHFR) in Puchong, Selangor, which are all managed by
the university. This article compiles available information regarding bats in UPM besides
updating the available list of bat species from published and unpublished papers, and
recent sampling using harp traps and mist nets. A total of 36 bat species were reported
in UPM (12 species in UPMSC, 20 species in UPMKB and 21 species in AHFR). These
bats were from seven families: Emballonuridae (three species), Hipposideridae (four
species), Megadermatidae (one species), Nycteridae (one species), Pteropodidae (13
species), Rhinolophidae (two species) and Vespertilionidae (12 species). With regards to
the conservation status, one species (Hypsugo macrotis) is categorised as ‘Data Defcient’,
fve species (Dyacopterus spadiceus, Kerivoula intermedia, K. minuta, Nycteris tragata,
and Rhinolophus sedulus) as ‘Near Threatened’ and one species (Megaerops albicollis)
categorised as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The list of bat
species provided, including those with conservation importance, can serve as a reference
for campus management practices on its environmental activities especially in enhancing
biodiversity value within the campus area.
Keywords: Chiroptera, checklist, urban, Sarawak, Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve.
http://doi.org/10.46754/jssm.2021.10.018