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Post by surroundx on Dec 13, 2015 12:34:03 GMT
Justification: Listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) because any remaining population is likely to be tiny. The species has not been located since it was last collected, which was likely before 1930. Vanikolo was extensively logged in the 1950s and 1960s; there is some regeneration now, but logging has once again been proposed. Surveys in the early 1990s did not detect this species and it might possibly be extinct. If it does survive, its range is likely very small as the size of the island is only 189 km2, and it is probably subject to hunting pressures as well. Further surveys are urgently needed to confirm the existence of this species. Source: www.iucnredlist.org/details/18765/0 |
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Post by another specialist on Dec 13, 2015 19:58:17 GMT
commonly called Vanikoro Flying Fox
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Post by another specialist on Dec 13, 2015 19:59:14 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Dec 13, 2015 20:02:21 GMT
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Post by Sebbe on Jan 2, 2016 14:08:49 GMT
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Post by Melanie on Jan 2, 2016 14:20:15 GMT
Would be great to have some more information on the allegedly rediscovery as Pteropus tuberculatus is certainly not the only bat on Vanikoro. |
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Post by Sebbe on Jan 2, 2016 15:27:27 GMT
Would be great to have some more information on the allegedly rediscovery as Pteropus tuberculatus is certainly not the only bat on Vanikoro. Aim not sure why this species was listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) by IUCN to begin with. There is no mention of surveys in the early 1990s in the comprehensive species account by Flannery (1995b) who concluded that it was last collected in August 1926. It is obvious that the lack of records since 1926 is reflecting the lack of dedicated fieldwork within the distribution of this species rather than a possible extinction following extensive logging some 50 years ago. It's also true that whilst this is not the only bat found on Vanikoro these photographs shows a Pteropus with a dark brown collar very similar to the museum specimen shown in Flannery (1995b) and apart from P. tuberculatus the only other mammal known from Vanikoro being P. tonganus which is much larger and has a bright golden collar. |
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Post by Peter on Jan 3, 2016 8:37:49 GMT
This is very good news, but is there not any doubt that the bats on those photos are really Pteropus tuberculatus?
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Post by Melanie on Jan 3, 2016 12:43:47 GMT
Yesterday I've written to Robert Burton. Here is his reply:
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Post by Sebbe on Jan 3, 2016 13:13:01 GMT
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Post by Melanie on Jan 4, 2016 21:30:03 GMT
Heritage Expeditions rediscovered the Vanikoro Flying Fox 03-06-2014 It has recently been confirmed that the Flying Fox spotted on Heritage Expeditions recent Birding the Pacific voyage was in fact the Vanikoro Flying Fox. The species is considered by the IUCN (international Union for the Conservation of Nature)to be critically endangered/possibly extinct. Our observation of this elusive species was the first observation since 1926 (despite the fact that there were surveys carried out in the 1990s looking specifically for it as well). The Heritage Expeditions staff and the passengers onboard the Birding the Pacific voyage were all extremely pleased with this discovery and to be able to assist in the conservation of the species. www.heritage-expeditions.com/article/heritage-expeditions-rediscovered-vanikoro-flying-fox/ |
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Post by Melanie on Jan 4, 2016 21:40:07 GMT
After the gorgeous sunny day yesterday, the weather had turned stormy again with a low cloud level and rocky seas. But there were several interesting things about Vanikoro. It was home to several species of flying foxes (which are not really foxes, a flying fox is a large fruit-eating bat that does not have echolocation). But in particular, it has a unique species of flying fox, called very appropriately the Vanikoro flying fox. This species was first discovered in the 1930 and when they went back in the 60’s, they couldn’t find any, so it’s been listed as “mostly extinct”, a victim of the logging on Vanikoro. There has been extensive logging in the Solomon Islands. It’s one of the few resources they have to generate hard cash. And the entire time we were on Vanikoro, you could hear chain saws in the distance. Which gave the day with the dead, low clouds, very much a “last-chance-to-see” feeling to it. But let me happily tell you that the Vanikoro flying fox was everywhere on the island. It is not extinct. In fact, it’s considered such a garden pest, eating the bananas and mangos in the garden, that the local catch them and eat them. I unfortunately did not get a good picture of one. But someone else in the expedition did. Take that, extinction! We loaded up in zodiacs after breakfast and toured the lagoon. A shallow brackish harbor filled with corals and mangroves. lheringer.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/usili-village-vanikoro-island-solomon-islands-day-10/ |
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Post by Melanie on Jan 4, 2016 21:44:50 GMT
Oceanswatch surveys remote Temotu Oceanswatch has been working to map ecosystems and inventory mammal and bird diversity at Vanikoro and Nendo Key Biodiversity Areas in the Temotu province of the Solomon Islands. This CEPF-supported project aims to empower the people of Temotu to protect their significant biodiversity by raising awareness of conservation issues, creating conservation committees in three communities and establishing a women's sustainable livelihoods cooperative. Recent biological surveys completed during September and October 2014, focused on species listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List: two fruit-bat species - the Vanikoro flying-fox (CR) and Temotu flying-fox (EN) – and three bird species – the Santa Cruz ground-dove (EN), Santa Cruz shrikebill (EN) and palm lorikeet (VU). All five species were found during the survey, apparently with viable population numbers. Finding populations of the Critically Endangered Vanikoro flying fox (Pteropus tuberculatus), is particularly significant as there have been no confirmed records of this species for decades. www.iucn.org/about/union/secretariat/offices/oceania/cepfeastmelanesia/oro_cepfemi_news/cepf_emi_newsletter_jan_2015.cfm |
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Post by Melanie on Jan 7, 2016 10:18:12 GMT
There is one point I don't understand. Neither Andersen (Catalogue of the Chiroptera in the collection of the British Museum) nor Flannery (Mammals of the South-West Pacific and the Moluccan Islands) state a head-body-length. Why? Andersen only states that P. tuberculatus is considerably smaller than P. pilosus.
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Post by Melanie on Jan 7, 2016 11:32:24 GMT
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Post by Melanie on Jan 7, 2016 11:35:10 GMT
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Post by Melanie on Jan 7, 2016 11:45:32 GMT
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Post by Melanie on Jan 7, 2016 11:48:55 GMT
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Post by Melanie on Jan 27, 2016 15:16:29 GMT
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Post by surroundx on Sept 4, 2016 14:26:17 GMT
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