Ressources
Les ressources rassemblent des articles scientifiques, livres, travaux de recherche, présentations et autres contributions à propos des chiroptères en lien avec les thématiques de recherche du projet.
Learning to Live with Flying-foxes: an Argument for Feminist and Indigenous Ethics of Care
CORONEL, Davita (2024). Thèse de doctorat. Deakin University.
This thesis explores the relationships of care between people and the grey-headed flying-foxes in Melbourne, Australia. Grey-headed flying-foxes are a native bat species in south-eastern Australia listed as ‘threatened with extinction’ due to concerns over their population decline.
This is the result of over 200 years of habitat destruction and persecution since British settlement. Bat advocates emphasise the importance of learning to live with flying-foxes. This thesis offers a cultural and structural analysis of the problem. I explore the question of living with flying-foxes through the lens of feminist and Indigenous care ethics. These theories conceptualise care as consisting of skills of attentiveness, responsibility, and responsiveness that can be cultivated in community. I have used the following research questions: 1. What are the relationships of care between flying-foxes and humans, and how is the bats’ agency placed in this? 2. What social, historical and cultural dynamics influence these relationships? 3. What are the implications of this study for flying-foxes in Melbourne, and similar places elsewhere? I have conducted qualitative, mixed-method research consisting of (1) bat observation, (2) semi-structured interviews with bat scientists, bat carers, biodiversity officers and an Elder of the Wurundjeri community in Melbourne, (3) participant observation with bat volunteers, (4) media-analysis, and (5) analysis of records in the wildlife emergency responsive service. I develop an understanding of different forms of care for flying-foxes and the skills people have developed, including the ability of interspecies communication. I find that care is disproportionally channelled toward the individual in controlled encounters with flying-foxes, both individual flying-foxes who come into care due to clashes with urban infrastructure and individual humans who are transformed in their attitudes. Care efforts in the broader community need to be directed to flying-fox worlds, that come with the pragmatics of relationality, to learn to live with them in uncontrollable situations.
Sources of Ambivalence, Contagion, and Sympathy Bats and What They Tell Anthropology
Frederic Laugrand, Antoine Laugrand, and Lionel Simon (2023). Current AnthropologyVolume 64, Number 3.
The bat is often portrayed as a vampire, a taxonomic monstrosity, and a source of the worst evils. Whenever pandemics occur, such as the one currently spread by SARS-CoV-2, this animal is quickly identified as a “reservoir of emerging pathogens” and is among the first to be blamed. Yet many human groups live in daily contact with multiple bat species and eat their flesh, which they praise for its medicinal benefits. Such groups see the bat as a “companion species” with which they cohabit and establish cooperative relationships. In this paper, we use recently gathered ethnographic data from Southeast Asia to show how humans imagine bats and enter into relationships with them. By blurring the boundaries between nature and society, this animal has made itself an appropriate subject of study for contemporary anthropology.
Sensibilité des populations de roussettes (Mégachiroptères, Pteropodidae) aux prélèvements cynégétiques et aux prédateurs introduits: une approche éco-démographique en Nouvelle Calédonie
Oedin, M. S. P. (2021). Doctoral dissertation, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie.
The destruction and degradation of natural habitats, invasive species and overexploitation are the three main threats to biodiversity to date. There is an urgent need to accurately assess the threats to declining and even threatened species, particularly those that are exploited, and to develop evidence-based management solutions.. Here we present a study on tbe population status oftwo sympatric flying fox species, Pteropus ornatus (endemie) and P. tonganus (native), and the impact of hunting and predation by the ferai catFelis catus in New Caledonia. The study offlying fox roost occupancy in the North Province shows a 33% disapearance in 40 years. The flying fox population on Grande Terre is estimated at about 735,000 individuals (ofboth species) and the annual hunting rate at 7%. Integrated stochastic modelling of this population suggests tbat current harvesting levels could lead to a decline of up to 80% in the next 30 years. Temporary hunting ban and/or protected areas appear, in addition to being combinable, to be the most acceptable and effective management options for hunters. An analysis of tbe data available worldwide shows that ali forms of cats prey on bats in all habitats and tbat this tbreat is probably largely underestimated. Finally, initial results suggest tbat flying fox predation by ferai cats in New Caledonia is ofthe same order of magnitude as hunting. This study proposes a framework for assessing the sustainability of hunting game species in an integrated adaptive management approach, taking into account other threat factors such as invasive species.
Bats of the Philippine Islands—A review of research directions and relevance to national-level priorities and targets
Tanalgo, K. C., & Hughes, A. C. (2018). Mammalian Biology, 91(1), 46-56.
Effective science-based conservation priorities and policies are crucially important to effectively maintain biodiversity into the future. For many threatened species and systems, insufficient information exists to generate priorities, or the mechanisms needed to effectively conserve species into the future, and this is especially important in megadiversity countries like the Philippines, threatened by rapid rates of devel-opment and with few overarching strategies to maintain their biodiversity. Here, using a bibliographic approach to indicate research strengths and priorities, we summarised scientific information on Philippine bats from 2000 to 2017. We examine relationships between thematic areas and effort allocated for each species, diet group, and conservation status. We found that an average of 7.9 studies was published annually with the majority focused on diversity and community surveys. However, research effort is not even between taxonomic groups, thematic areas or species, with disproportionate effort focusing on “tax-onomy and systematics” and “ecology”. Species effort allocation between threatened and less threatened species does not show a significant difference, though this may be because generalist species are found in many studies, whereas rarer species have single species studies devoted to them. A growing collaborative effort in bat conservation initiatives in the Philippines has focused on the protection of many endemic and threatened species (e.g., flying foxes) and their habitats. The implementation of conservation relevant policies, outreach programs, capacity building, and mainstreaming of evidence-based conservation are encouraged to strengthen bat conservation in the Philippines.
Shimmer. Flying fox exuberance in worlds of peril.
Deborah Bird Rose (2024). Edinburg : Edinburg University Press, 312 p.
An inspiring book about flying foxes, science, and Aboriginal knowledge.
Beautiful, persecuted, fragile, resilient: how flying foxes help us confront every big question facing life on earth today
‘I was called to flying-foxes. My research questions led me into multispecies ethnographic work involving wildlife carers and academically trained scientists in eastern Australia. The people I met were at the front line in the work of holding flying-foxes back from the edge of extinction. I continued to visit the north, and I revisited my notebooks from several decades of research with Aboriginal people. The research was exhilarating, and then again at times deeply disheartening. I was to encounter more passion, intimacy, cruelty, horror, complexity, generosity and wild beauty than I could ever have imagined. Living with flying-foxes, I came to understand, takes us straight to the heart of every big question facing Earth life in the 21st century.’
Anthropogenic impacts drive habitat suitability in South Asian bats.
Srinivasulu, A., Senapathi, D., & González-Suárez, M. (2024). Biodiversity and Conservation, 33(14), 4099-4120.
Despite their diversity and importance as ecological indicators and ecosystem service providers, the macroecology of bats in South Asia is poorly understood, and until recently studies on the ecological niches of these species have been rare. This study analyses the ecogeographic predictors of habitat suitability in South Asian bats by conducting ensemble ecological niche modelling using four algorithms (random forests, artificial neural networks, multivariate adaptive regression splines, and maximum entropy) to define suitability envelopes for 48 selected bat species, based on topographic, hydrographic, land-use, land-cover, and other anthropogenic impact factors. Anthropogenic impact variables showed high importance with Median Night-time Light being the biggest driver of habitat suitability for most of the study species with generally lower suitability of brighter areas. Projected suitable areas for individual species covered between 6.28% and 22.98% of the study area. Regions such as the Thar desert of northwestern India were consistently identified to have low suitability. The Western Ghats in India, the Himalayas in Bhutan, northern India, and Nepal, and Sri Lanka were identified as suitability hotspots for more than half the studied species overlapping with human-impacted habitats. This study offers insight into the impacts of anthropogenic pressure on the macroecology of bats in a megadiverse region and stresses the importance of analysing ecogeographic effects on ecological niches and habitat suitability, which can be vital to inform conservation planning and policymaking in the future.
La chauve-souris au Vanuatu
David Demeyer (2025). L'Echo des Rhinos, no 124, Avril 2025
Au Vanuatu (petit pays au Nord-Est de l’Australie dans la mer de Corail), bien
avant que les êtres humains aient mis les pieds sur les îles de cet archipel, les seuls
mammifères présents étaient les chauves-souris. Ce n’est qu’avec l’arrivée de la
culture lapita1, apparue dans le Nord-Est de la Nouvelle-Guinée vers 1500 av. J.-C.,
que sont amenés des cochons (animal important dans les rituels) et au XVIIe siècle,
avec les colons européens, d’autres animaux et des semences du Nouveau Monde.
De ce fait, dans ces îles, la cohabitation entre les humains et les chauves-souris ne
date pas d’hier. Il existe localement une douzaine d’espèces dont certaines sont
endémiques, mais aussi en voie d’extinction telles que Pteropus anetianus.
Habitat associations of bats in the green spaces of Davao City, Mindanao, Southern Philippines
Dela Torre, V. C. P., Pototan, B. L., Choa, R. R., Petros, G. D. T., Panogalinog, I. G. M., Bacus, M. G., ... & Quibod, M. N. R. M. (2024). Mammal Research, 1-12.
Green spaces in synanthropic environments are known to provide suitable habitats for wildlife species; however, these green spaces also influence the dynamics of bat populations, especially due to their sensitivity to habitat fragmentation, which has conservation and ecological implications. Currently, there is still limited information on bats’ habitat associations in green spaces, hindering our understanding of their ecological requirements. This study aimed to determine the habitat association and local range distribution of bat species in the green spaces of Davao City, the largest city by land area in the southern Philippines, employing conventional mist-netting techniques. We recorded a total of 3,674 bat individuals, representing 17 species belonging to six families, of which five are Philippine endemics. We examined three habitat types of green spaces (i.e., synanthropic, forest, and subterranean). Synanthropic habitats harbored most bat individuals, which constituted 52% of bats observed, followed by forests (40%), and subterranean (8%). Some bat species showed strong habitat affinity: Rousettus amplexicaudatus in synanthropic habitats, Cynopterus brachyotis in forests, and Rhinolophus arcuatus in subterranean habitats, especially caves. Similarities in species composition were observed between synanthropic and forest habitats, whereas subterranean species displayed specialized niche dependence. The results of this study further revealed that bat species prefer to utilize their natural habitats but are more abundant in human-altered landscapes or synanthropic habitats. Prioritizing the protection of bats’ remaining natural habitats in urban green spaces is thus highly recommended.
Multispecies cohabitation and socio-ecological caring skills: the grey-headed flying-foxes in Melbourne, Australia
Davita Coronel (2025). Social & Cultural Geography, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2025.2469902
Anthropocentric societies are faced with the challenge of improving relationships with more-than-human others amid ecological impoverishment. Care has emerged as an important factor for enhancing multispecies cohabitation. Recent scholarship has interrogated the qualities and transformative potential of more-than-human care, including the extent of human control. This study provides a cultural analysis of more-than-human care, focusing the argument on care for the grey-headed flying-foxesin Melbourne, Australia. Settler-colonialism impacts relationships with the flying-foxes,who are listed as threatened with extinction. This study considers differences between Western and Indigenous orientations to the living world, along with caring skills informed by feminist and Indigenous care ethics. In the analysis, two forms of bat care are compared – wildlife rescue and planting activities– to interrogate the conditions for care and the caring skills they foster. The research builds on interviews with scientists, volunteer bat carers, and an Elder of the Wurundjeri community, and participant observation with bat carers. The findings suggest that planting activities are one context in which socio-ecological caring skills, specifically human responsiveness to more-than-human others, can be practised to enhance multispecies cohabitation. These findings can support education efforts to improve multispecies cohabitation with flying-foxesin Australia, and more-than-humans elsewhere.
Roads and wildlife: the need for evidence-based decisions; New Zealand bats as a case study
Jones, C., Borkin, K., & Smith, D. (2019). New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 43(2), 3376.
Dans leur étude de 2019, Jones, Borkin et Smith examinent les impacts des infrastructures routières sur les populations de chauves-souris en Nouvelle-Zélande, en se concentrant sur le Chalinolobus tuberculatus (chauve-souris à longue queue). Ils constatent que de nombreuses méthodes de mitigation manquent de preuves scientifiques quant à leur efficacité. Les auteurs recommandent une approche de gestion adaptative, soutenue par des données empiriques robustes, pour guider les investissements dans les mesures de mitigation des effets des routes sur les chauves-souris.
Contributions of bats to the local economy through durian pollination in Sulawesi, Indonesia
Sheherazade, Ober, H. K., & Tsang, S. M. (2019). Biotropica, 51(6), 913-922.
Dans leur étude de 2019, Sheherazade, Ober et Tsang ont démontré que les chauves-souris, notamment Eonycteris spelaea, Pteropus alecto et Acerodon celebensis, sont les principaux pollinisateurs du durian (Durio zibethinus) dans le Sulawesi occidental, en Indonésie. Les fleurs accessibles aux chauves-souris ont montré un taux de fructification significativement plus élevé que celles exclues des visites animales ou accessibles uniquement aux insectes. Les auteurs estiment que les services de pollinisation fournis par ces chauves-souris valent environ 117 dollars par hectare et par saison de fructification, soulignant ainsi leur importance économique pour les communautés locales.
Ecology and conservation of bats
Lavery, T. H., Leary, T. N., Shaw, C., Tahi, M., Posala, C., & Pierce, R. (2020). Pacific Conservation Biology, 27(1), 27-38.
L'étude de Lavery et al. (2020) examine la distribution et l'écologie de sept espèces de chauves-souris dans les provinces de Temotu (Îles Salomon) et de Torba (Vanuatu). Les chercheurs ont identifié quatre espèces endémiques à aire de répartition restreinte, notamment Pteropus fundatus et Pteropus nitendiensis, et trois espèces plus largement réparties. Ils ont observé que certaines espèces, comme Nyctimene sanctacrucis, pourraient être éteintes, tandis que d'autres sont menacées par la chasse et la perturbation de leur habitat. L'étude souligne l'importance de la conservation de ces chauves-souris pour le maintien des écosystèmes insulaires.
Observation of Lesser Dog-Faced Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis)
Flores, A. B., & Tanalgo, K. (2020). Southeast Asia Vertebrate Records, 2020, 32-33.
L'étude de Rocha et al. (2021) examine les interactions entre les humains et les chauves-souris dans le sud-ouest rural de Madagascar, en se concentrant sur les connaissances locales, les utilisations culturelles et les perceptions. Les résultats révèlent que certaines communautés consomment des chauves-souris, utilisent leur guano comme engrais et intègrent ces animaux dans leur folklore, tout en reconnaissant des tabous culturels qui limitent la chasse et la consommation. Les auteurs suggèrent que ces perspectives bioculturelles peuvent informer des approches de conservation adaptées aux contextes locaux.
Human-bat interactions in rural Southwestern Madagascar through a biocultural lens
Rocha, R., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., López-Baucells, A., Andriamitandrina, S. F., Andriatafika, Z. E., Temba, E. M., ... & Cabeza, M. (2021). Journal of Ethnobiology, 41(1), 53-69
L'étude de Rocha et al. (2021) examine les interactions entre les humains et les chauves-souris dans le sud-ouest rural de Madagascar, en se concentrant sur les connaissances locales, les utilisations culturelles et les perceptions. Les résultats révèlent que certaines communautés consomment des chauves-souris, utilisent leur guano comme engrais et intègrent ces animaux dans leur folklore, tout en reconnaissant des tabous culturels qui limitent la chasse et la consommation. Les auteurs suggèrent que ces perspectives bioculturelles peuvent informer des approches de conservation adaptées aux contextes locaux.
Economic contribution of fruit bats (family Pteropodidae) through durian fruit production in the agroecosystem in Java Island
Suripto, B. (2021, March). In 7th International Conference on Research, Implementation, and Education of Mathematics and Sciences (ICRIEMS 2020) (pp. 8-15). Atlantis Press
Dans son étude, Suripto (2021) met en évidence le rôle crucial des chauves-souris frugivores (famille Pteropodidae) en tant que pollinisateurs exclusifs du durian (Durio zibethinus) dans les agroécosystèmes de l'île de Java. L'auteur estime que la contribution économique annuelle de ces chauves-souris, via la production de durians, dépasse 6 000 milliards de roupies indonésiennes. Cette information souligne l'importance de sensibiliser les agriculteurs à la conservation de ces espèces bénéfiques.
Ambiguous birds
Forth, G. (2021). Ambiguous birds: ideas about bats on Flores Island and elsewhere. Journal of Ethnobiology, 41(1), 105-120
Dans son article "Ambiguous Birds: Ideas about Bats on Flores Island and Elsewhere" (2021), Gregory Forth explore les classifications populaires et les valeurs symboliques associées aux chauves-souris chez les Nage de l'île de Flores, en Indonésie. Il met en évidence la manière dont ces communautés perçoivent les chauves-souris, oscillant entre des représentations d'oiseaux et de créatures ambiguës, reflétant une complexité dans la catégorisation culturelle des animaux.
Bane or blessing? Reviewing cultural values of bats across the Asia-Pacific region.
Low, M. R., Hoong, W. Z., Shen, Z., Murugavel, B., Mariner, N., Paguntalan, L. M., ... & Aziz, S. A. (2021). Journal of Ethnobiology, 41(1), 18-34.
L'article de Low et al. (2021) analyse les perceptions culturelles des chauves-souris dans 60 cultures de 24 pays de la région Asie-Pacifique. Les auteurs ont identifié 119 valeurs culturelles associées aux chauves-souris, dont 62 % étaient positives, 8 % neutres et 10 % négatives. Cette diversité de perceptions offre des opportunités pour promouvoir la coexistence entre humains et chauves-souris.
Are we hunting bats to extinction? Worldwide patterns of hunting risk in bats are driven by species ecology and regional economics
Tanalgo, K. C., Sritongchuay, T., Agduma, A. R., Cruz, K. C. D., & Hughes, A. C. (2023). Biological Conservation, 279, 109944.
L'étude de Tanalgo et al. (2023) analyse les risques de chasse pesant sur les chauves-souris à l'échelle mondiale, en identifiant que 19 % des espèces sont menacées par cette pratique. Les espèces de grande taille avec des aires de répartition restreintes sont particulièrement vulnérables. Les auteurs soulignent l'importance de prendre en compte l'écologie des espèces et les facteurs économiques régionaux pour élaborer des stratégies de conservation efficaces.
“Bats are our identity”: the role of bats as urban identity in Watansoppeng city, Indonesia
Umar, F., Winarso, H., & Kustiwan, I. (2023). Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 1-19.
L'article de Umar, Winarso et Kustiwan (2023) explore comment les chauves-souris contribuent à l'identité urbaine de Watansoppeng, en Indonésie. Les auteurs identifient trois composantes principales de cette identité : visuelle, comportementale et cognitive. Ils concluent que les chauves-souris jouent un rôle significatif dans la formation de l'identité de la ville.
Fruit bats trade in the traditional markets of South Minahasa, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Ransaleleh, T. A., Kawatu, M., Wahyuni, I., Onibala, J., Nangoy, M. J., Umboh, S. J., ... & Wiantoro, S. (2024).Ransaleleh, T.A., Kawatu, M., Wahyuni, I., Onibala, J., Nangoy, M.J., Umboh, S.J., Rembet, U.N., Saputro, S., & Wiantoro, S. (2024). Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity.
L'étude de Ransaleleh et al. (2024) examine le commerce des chauves-souris frugivores dans les marchés traditionnels du sud de Minahasa, en identifiant sept espèces vendues, dont Acerodon celebensis et Pteropus alecto. Les auteurs soulignent l'importance de programmes d'éducation et de sensibilisation pour promouvoir la conservation de ces espèces.
Effect of Microclimate to Bat Diversity in Mangrove Forest of Brgy. Tubajon, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines (Mammalia Chiroptera)
Richel E. Relox, Christine Mae M. Eugenio, Flonica F. Imperial & Aira Jayne L. Raut. Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.3.683.692
L'étude de Madroñal et Relox examine la relation entre les chauves-souris et les forêts de mangroves dans certaines zones côtières du nord de Mindanao, aux Philippines. Les chercheurs ont identifié six espèces de chauves-souris, dont Cynopterus brachyotis était la plus commune. Certaines espèces, comme Ptenochirus jagori, Eonycteris spelaea et Harpyionycteris whiteheadi, ont été observées pour la première fois dans des forêts de mangroves, enrichissant ainsi la documentation sur la faune chiroptère de Mindanao. L'analyse a révélé que C. brachyotis est fortement associée aux mangroves plus hautes, avec un diamètre à hauteur de poitrine plus grand et une canopée plus dense. Les mangroves présentes étaient principalement classées en "préoccupation mineure" par l'UICN, à l'exception de Ceriops decandra, classée comme "quasi menacée"
Bats surf storm fronts during spring migration by Hurme et al.
Hurme, E., Lenzi, I., Wikelski, M., Wild, T. A., & Dechmann, D. K. (2025). Science, 387(6729), 97-102.
Dans l'article "Bats surf storm fronts during spring migration" publié en 2025 dans Science, Hurme et al. révèlent que les noctules communes (Nyctalus noctula) profitent des fronts chauds des tempêtes pour migrer au printemps. En suivant 71 chauves-souris femelles équipées de capteurs légers, les chercheurs ont observé que ces mammifères parcourent des centaines de kilomètres en une nuit en utilisant les vents arrière des tempêtes, réduisant ainsi leur dépense énergétique
The critical importance of Old World fruit bats for healthy ecosystems and economies - 2021
Aziz, S. A., McConkey, K. R., Tanalgo, K., Sritongchuay, T., Low, M. R., Yong, J. Y., ... & Racey, P. A. (2021). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9, 641411.
L'article de Aziz et al. (2021) met en lumière le rôle crucial des chauves-souris frugivores de l'Ancien Monde dans la pollinisation et la dispersion des graines, essentielles à la régénération des forêts tropicales. Il souligne également les menaces anthropiques, telles que la déforestation et la chasse, qui compromettent ces interactions écologiques vitales.
Aziz, S. A., McConkey, K. R., Tanalgo, K., Sritongchuay, T., Low, M. R., Yong, J. Y., ... & Racey, P. A. (2021). The critical importance of Old World fruit bats for healthy ecosystems and economies. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9, 641411.
Bats as potential suppressors of multiple agricultural pests: A case study from Madagascar
James Kemp a , Adrià López-Baucells a b c , Ricardo Rocha c d , Owen S. Wangensteen e , Zo Andriatafika c f , Abhilash Nair c , Mar Cabeza c (2019). Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, pp. 88-96
The conversion of natural habitats to agriculture is one of the main drivers of biotic change
Des voies de l’ombre – quand les chauves-souris sèment le trouble
Frédéric Laugrand et Antoine Laugrand 2023
How do humans and chiropterans form communities? On a global scale, bats generate ambivalent feelings. They stimulate the imagination, and humans interact with them in a multitude of ways.