A Qatar University (QU) research has identified Asellia tridens as the most recorded bat species in Qatar. The study published in the Qatar University Research Magazine Issue 15 is titled ‘The First Survey Study: Occurrence and Distribution of Bats in Qatar.’ It was carried out by QU student Maktom Abdulrahman (BSc in Environmental Sciences) and supervised by Dr. Boboyuki Yamaguchi of QU’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Bats are important bioindicators used for assessing environmental health and biogeographic changes taking place in the environment. Each organic entity inside a biological system indicates the health of its surroundings.
The first of its kind study used sonogram analysis and detected three bats species Asellia tridens, Otonycteris hemprichii, and Pipistrellus kuhlii. Of the three, Asellia tridens was the only species recorded in the northern half of Qatar. A. tridens was found throughout Qatar, while the other two species were only found in the south. The research surveyed potential roosting and activity areas such as sinkholes/caves, old water wells, bridges, and farms, focusing on finding the sinkholes/caves. Using Echo meter two devices, Maktom detected the presence or absence of bat calls around 56 sites.
The study collected 287 acoustic ultrasound recordings across Qatar, of which 169 were bat call sequences. According to the study, a tridens calls were put at 107, while P. kuhlii was recorded for the first time in Qatar, mostly in the south. Meanwhile, O. hemprichii was the least common with 14 recorded call sequences.
Due to the geographical proximity, bats may colonise southern Qatar from the primary Arabian Peninsula readily than the north. Alternatively, with a high concentration of irrigated farms in the north, the bat populations may be affected by pesticide use. Bats may be more sensitive to pesticide use compared to other mammals.
