Land Use- Land Cover Utilization by Egyptian Fruit Bats at Nile Valley and Delta, Egypt

Document Type : Original articles

Authors

1 Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt

2 Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

3 Department of Biology, College of Sciences Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study investigates the spatial distribution and land cover utilization patterns of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) across six governorates in the Nile Valley and Delta, Egypt. Using 15 km² buffer zones to represent the average nightly foraging range of breeding colonies, we analyzed land use/land cover (LULC) composition derived from ESRI 2020 Global Land Cover Data. Results revealed significant variability in LULC composition among governorates, with cropland dominating Menoufia and Ismailia, built-up areas prevalent in Giza, and water bodies most abundant in Damietta. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.995) was observed between mean bat body mass and the percentage of water bodies, highlighting the importance of water availability for this species. While the study is primarily descriptive due to limitations such as a single LULC observation per governorate and a small sample size for body mass analysis (n=6), it provides valuable insights into the adaptability of R. aegyptiacus to diverse landscapes, mainly agricultural and urban environments. These findings underscore the potential influence of water resources on body mass and suggest that cropland and urban areas may serve as important foraging habitats. Future research should focus on larger sample sizes and multi-year data collection to better understand the ecological drivers influencing R. aegyptiacus distribution and body condition, ultimately informing conservation strategies for this ecologically significant species.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics