**5.3. The phytophilous species**

These roost in the foliage of trees and under tree bark. All five species belong to the family Vespertilionidae (**Table 5**).

### **5.4. The synanthropic species**

These species roost under the roofs and against the internal walls of human dwellings, under bridges in towns or cities, and hunt around electric street lights in the city (**Table 6**).

### **5.5. Distribution by roost type**

**Table 7**, a same species can belong to one, two or more groups. The most represented family is Vespertilionidae because its 14 species occupy four roost types. It is also apparent that troglophilic species are the most numerous (14 species), belonging to six families with all the six species of the Rhinolophidae. One family (the Molossidae) has no troglophilic species. There are four lithophilic species, belonging to two families (Vespertilionidae and Molossidae). The latter family only contains lithophilic species. Four species of Vespertilionidae are phytophilic in Algeria, and two other species of this family are synanthropic. In conclusion, we note that

the family whose species occupy the four biotopes is the family Vespertilionidae. One family (Molossidae) is lithophilic and the rest of the other families (Rhinopomatidae, Hipposideridae,

**Family/habitat Troglophilic species Lithophilic species Phytophilous species Synanthropic species**

Vespertilionidae 4 2 5 2

Cracks, bridges and houses Cracks and houses

The Bat: A Benefactor Animal Poorly Understood in Algeria

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75547

33

In terms of conservation biology, all species in our study area are protected in Algeria and have a heritage status on the IUCN Red List. The major threats to which they are subjected are mainly of an anthropogenic nature, all the roosts have been more or less affected, the caves are overcrowded in summer and they are subject to disturbance by the activities of the public works services and the widening of roadways. Some old cellars have been restored without taking into consideration the presence of bats and sometimes even demolished. Others are obstructed by buildings, the other roosts, the majority of which are forested, are spared by the

On the basis of this observation, we propose protection measures for sites of interest and, lastly, we propose a succinct action plan for Chiroptera that can be used as a management tool for the managers of the various departments concerned with the conservation of sites of interest and the environment. This action plan will have as a first action, the census of bat houses at a national level, then a follow-up of an inventory of the species, which will give us an overview of the Algerian chiropterological inheritance and will allow us to take adequate measures of protection. For this, a non-governmental organization was created to work on the

Emballonuridae, Miniopteridae and Rhinolophidae) are all troglophilic.

Total 14 4 5 2

**Family Species Habitat**

*Pipistrellus pipistrellus*

Vespertilionidae *Pipistrellus kuhlii*

Molossidae 2

**Table 6.** Synanthropic species of bats.

Rhinopomatidae 1 Hipposideridae 1 Emballonuridae 1 Rhinolophidae 6 Miniopteridae 1

direct action of man, but are threatened by repeated fires.

**6. Biology of conservation**

**Table 7.** Distribution of the bats by roost type.


**Table 4.** Lithophilic species of bats.


**Table 5.** Phytophilous species of bats.


**Table 6.** Synanthropic species of bats.

**5.2. The lithophilic species**

32 Bats

**5.3. The phytophilous species**

Vespertilionidae (**Table 5**).

**5.4. The synanthropic species**

**5.5. Distribution by roost type**

**Family Species Habitat**

*Tadarida teniotis*

*Hypsugo savii*

**Family Species Habitat**

*Nyctalus noctula Nyctalus leisleri Myotis nattereri Pipistrellus rueppellii*

*Molossidae Tadarida aegyptiaca*

*Vespertilionidae Otonycteris hemprichii*

Vespertilionidae *Eptesicus isabellinus*

**Table 5.** Phytophilous species of bats.

**Table 4.** Lithophilic species of bats.

cies belonging to two families (**Table 4**).

These are species that usually roost in rocky crevices and cracks in walls. There are four spe-

These roost in the foliage of trees and under tree bark. All five species belong to the family

These species roost under the roofs and against the internal walls of human dwellings, under

**Table 7**, a same species can belong to one, two or more groups. The most represented family is Vespertilionidae because its 14 species occupy four roost types. It is also apparent that troglophilic species are the most numerous (14 species), belonging to six families with all the six species of the Rhinolophidae. One family (the Molossidae) has no troglophilic species. There are four lithophilic species, belonging to two families (Vespertilionidae and Molossidae). The latter family only contains lithophilic species. Four species of Vespertilionidae are phytophilic in Algeria, and two other species of this family are synanthropic. In conclusion, we note that

Unknown

oases

In Oases

In Oases

Near water and trees

In old bridges, aqueducts, cracks of rocks

Wall cracks in underground cavities especially in the Saharan

In rocks crevices and hollow trees in mountainous region

In trees and between leaves and branches of trees

In trees, hibernating in cracks of rocks

bridges in towns or cities, and hunt around electric street lights in the city (**Table 6**).


**Table 7.** Distribution of the bats by roost type.

the family whose species occupy the four biotopes is the family Vespertilionidae. One family (Molossidae) is lithophilic and the rest of the other families (Rhinopomatidae, Hipposideridae, Emballonuridae, Miniopteridae and Rhinolophidae) are all troglophilic.
