Roost characteristics and habitat preferences of Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) in urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan

Roost characteristics of Indian flying fox Pteropus giganteus at the Jinnah (n = 1052) and Lalazar (n = 40) gardens in Lahore were observed for a period of 1 year to find roost preferences in these bats. The Jinnah garden harbors 4119 trees belonging to 46 families, 103 genera, and 132 species, of which 44 trees belonging to 17 families, 19 genera, and 21 species served as bat roosts. The Lalazar garden harbors 90 trees representing 7 families, 9 genera, and 9 species. Six of these belonging to 2 families, 2 genera, and 2 species each served as bat roosts. Height of the roosting trees varied from 7.5 m (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii) to 19.8 m (Celtis australis) and diameter at breast height (dbh) ranged from 0.10 m (Putranjiva roxburghii) to 0.89 m (Kigelia pinnata). Maximum average bats (n = 88) were roosting in P. roxburghii with total height of 13.4 m and dbh of 0.1 m, whereas minimum bats (n = 8) were observed on Manilkara hexandra having height of 14.4 m and dbh of 0.24 m. It can be concluded from the present study that P. giganteus prefers to roost near water bodies on tall trees with relatively smaller diameters.