**3. Problems of conservation**

Bats in the study area are confronted with numerous threats. Some of these threats are highlighted below.

**1.** Low rate of reproduction

Bats have a low rate of production. Most of the Chiropteran give birth to only one or two pups. Numerous threats to bats' survival compiled with slow rate of reproduction make their survival precarious.

**2.** Habitat loss

Mountain caves, rocky crevices, old abandoned buildings, and old trees act as favorite roosting places for bats. These places and objects are critically endangered in the study area and are being rapidly destroyed. Caves and rock crevices face destruction on account of use of explosives and dynamites for mining of marble, gem stone, and other minerals. The caves are also excavated for finding archeological artifacts, thus disturbing the bat roost. Tall, old trees are being cut for fuel or for reclamation of land for agriculture and housing. Old dilapidated historic places are being renovated for tourism and the culture of building houses with hollow wooden roofs is being replaced by reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roofs. All these practices lead to destruction of bat habitat, ultimately threatening their survival.

**3.** Food scarcity

Farmers do not like frugivorous bats because of the damage they do to their fruit orchards. Consequently, the farmers either kill these bats or they change the fruit species composition in the orchards, thus considerably reducing the amount of food available to bats. Reduction in the quantity of food ultimately affects the bat population.

**4.** Environmental pollution

Every increasing use of pesticides, chemical toxins, air water pollution through industrial wastes and exhausts affects bats as adversely as they do the human beings. Contaminated food and water take a heavy toll on bats and threaten their long-term survival.

**5.** Natural disasters

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and fire cause devastation of habitat of bats. Mountain areas of KP, including the study area, are prone to frequent natural disasters. Earthquakes and landslides result in caving in or closure of cave entrances, thus killing large number of bats inhabiting them.

**6.** Depredation by birds and animals

Certain birds such as owls and eagles and mammals, including jungle cats, civets, and flying squirrels prey upon bats for food. An abundance of these predators in habitat may result in rapid decline in bat population.

**7.** Killing for food and medicine

A tribe in Nepal is reported to hunt bats for food. Although, this is not the case in KP, yet people kill bats for use in medicine for curing baldness, rheumatism as aphrodisiacs. Some people also consider bats as a bad omen; therefore, they kill them.

**8.** Lack of awareness

in India, close to the eastern borders of Pakistan [2]. The status of this species is unknown in

Six bats were captured through mist net in Barcharai Daim (N34° 33.737′ E71° 44.872′), Fatehpur (N35° 04.345′ E72° 29.502′), Bahrain Pull (N35° 12.418′ E72° 32.963′), Fizagat (N34° 47.586′ E72° 23.672′), Fish Hatchery (N35° 08.439′ E72° 32.917′), and Baidara (N34° 57.494′ E72°

Bats in the study area are confronted with numerous threats. Some of these threats are high-

Bats have a low rate of production. Most of the Chiropteran give birth to only one or two pups. Numerous threats to bats' survival compiled with slow rate of reproduction make

Mountain caves, rocky crevices, old abandoned buildings, and old trees act as favorite roosting places for bats. These places and objects are critically endangered in the study area and are being rapidly destroyed. Caves and rock crevices face destruction on account of use of explosives and dynamites for mining of marble, gem stone, and other minerals. The caves are also excavated for finding archeological artifacts, thus disturbing the bat roost. Tall, old trees are being cut for fuel or for reclamation of land for agriculture and housing. Old dilapidated historic places are being renovated for tourism and the culture of building houses with hollow wooden roofs is being replaced by reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roofs. All these practices lead to destruction of bat habitat, ultimately threatening their survival.

Farmers do not like frugivorous bats because of the damage they do to their fruit orchards. Consequently, the farmers either kill these bats or they change the fruit species composition in the orchards, thus considerably reducing the amount of food available to bats. Re-

Every increasing use of pesticides, chemical toxins, air water pollution through industrial wastes and exhausts affects bats as adversely as they do the human beings. Contaminated

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and fire cause devastation of habitat of bats. Mountain areas of KP, including the study area, are prone to frequent natural disasters.

food and water take a heavy toll on bats and threaten their long-term survival.

duction in the quantity of food ultimately affects the bat population.

Pakistan, IUCN 2008-NT.

94 Bats

26.635′) in Malakand division.

**1.** Low rate of reproduction

their survival precarious.

lighted below.

**2.** Habitat loss

**3.** Food scarcity

**4.** Environmental pollution

**5.** Natural disasters

**3. Problems of conservation**

The bats live in lonely and hidden corner of crevices and they are not known to the common man. Those who know them are not aware of the role they play in the ecosystem. These ugly looking nocturnal creatures play an important role in the ecosystem. They are not only a valuable component of the biodiversity, but also represent a unique mammalian order, Chiroptera. Bats are biological controllers of insects, pests, and some rodents, are crop pollinators, and a source of highly valuable guano.

Being unaware of these values and roles of bats, people do not show any concern about their conservation. The wildlife laws of the country are also silent about bats and no penalties have been prescribed for their illegal hunting, killing or trading. Conservation of bats demands that people, particularly farmers are made fully aware of the importance and role of bats in the country. Besides implementation of an awareness campaign about bats, the bat conservation lessons need to be included in the primary and middle school curriculum.
