VESPERTILIONIDAE, Gray, 1821

Saikia, Uttam, 2018, A report on chiropterological investigations in some major caves of East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 118 (4), pp. 405-412 : 408-409

Family VESPERTILIONIDAE

11. Ia io Thomas, 1902

Material examined: One male individual in Krem Labit 3

Remarks: A specimen was caught in the mist net in Krem Labit 3 but escaped while taking measurements. Not observed in any of the other caves surveyed. Although relatively rare in other parts of India, this bat may widespread in karstic regions of Khasi and Jaintia Hills ( Ruedi et al., 2012)

Threats and Conservation Issues

A majority of the bat species in Meghalaya are associated with caves either as obligatory or facultative cave dwellers ( Saikia et al., 2018). Therefore, caves are critical for the survival of a large number of bat species in the state. At the same time, cave ecosystems are also very fragile in nature since they have evolved in a relatively constant environmental regime and least adapted to abrupt changes. The Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya harbours the highest number of caves per unit area, with the Shnongrim Ridge being the home of some most spectacular ones ( Tringham, 2012). Unfortunately many of the caves in Jaintia Hills area are facing imminent threat from large scale mining. Since the area is rich in coal and limestone deposits, uncontrolled and unscientific mining activities flourishing in the area are causing irreparable damage to the local ecology. The green cover is almost lost and the soil and water is being contaminated with toxic wastes from mining activities. Besides, the ground vibration caused by blasting activities in mining is a serious hazard to the caves that could result in caving in of the underground chambers.

Another severe threat to the bat populations in the Jaintia Hills is the rampant hunting for bushmeat. Although the larger Hipposideros and Rhinolophus bats are preferred hunt, even smaller and smelly species like Miniopterus magnater are also hunted ( Saikia et al. 2018). The famous bat cave, Krem Labit 1 in Shnongrim area now hardly harbours any significant bat population. It is apparent that severe hunting pressure have resulted dwindling of the bat populations in these caves or forced them to seek refuge in other safer places. Various improvised bat catching mechanisms are easily observed in most of the cave entrances. Locals informed that bat meat fetch high value in the local market for their purported medicinal value.

It is worth mentioning that recently a few caves with a considerable population of rare Otomops wroughtoni has been discovered in Jaintia Hills ( Ruedi et al., 2014) and this is a silver lining for conservation of this protected bat species. With the mining ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal, things can look a little better with proper strategy for restoration of the damaged ecology of the region. Also legal provisions are urgently required for ensuring protection of the caves of Jaintia Hills. Scientific management plan for conservation of these threatened