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Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve: biological and socio-economic survey 39 4.5.4 Results Mist nets were set at the sites depicted in Figure 4.1. Sampling intensity was 8,316 metrehours. Six bats were captured giving a capture rate of 0.1/100 metre-hours. Two species of macro bat and three species of micro bat (from three families) were identified, as listed in Table 4.3. Table 4.3 Checklist of the bats of Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve Vernacular name Specific name Typical Range Status habitat Order Macrochiroptera Family Pteropodidae: fruit bats Subfamily Pteropodinae Little epauletted fruit bat Epomophorus labiatus fe w s c KUT DD Pygmy epauletted fruit bat E. minimus fe w s c KUT DD Order Microchiroptera Family Nycteridae: slit-faced bats Hairy slit-faced bat Nycteris hispida varied h KUT LR (LC) Family Vespertilionidae: vesper bats African giant house bat Scotophilus nigrita f w s KT DD Family Molossidae: free-tailed bats Little free-tailed bat Chaerophon pumila h KUT LR (LC) Nomenclature and taxonomy follow Davies & Vanden Berghe (1994). Typical habitat from Kingdon (1974a). Key Typical Habitat f forest interior g grassland m moist fe forest edge s savannah c cultivation w woodland sw swamp h human habitation Range (East African countries from which the species is recorded by Davies & Vanden Berghe (1994)) K Kenya U Uganda T Tanzania Status (from Kityo, 1996) LR Low Risk LC Least Concern DD Data Deficient NE Not Evaluated There are insufficient data for the species accumulation rate to be shown. 4.5.5 Discussion In dense vegetation bats are channelled along flight paths and mist nets strung across them are hard to detect amongst the vegetation. In the open habitats of the reserve, however, capture rates are low as bats were not restricted to flight paths and are more likely to detect and avoid the mist nets. Sampling in additional habitats is likely to reveal further species. Macro bats Epomophorine bats are exclusively African, and have radiated into eight species, with Epomophorus exhibiting several ‘size classes’ (Kingdon, 1974a). The Epomophorus gambius complex includes the smallest size class, E. labiatus and the lower middle size class, E. minimus. Frontier-Uganda Wildlife Protected Areas Project January 1998 Baseline Surveys Programme Report No. 13
Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve: biological and socio-economic survey 40 Micro bats The range of forms within the micro bats is greater than any other taxon of mammals (Delany & Happold, 1979). Eight families are represented in East Africa (Davies & Vanden Berghe, 1994), three of which were represented in the reserve. Nycterid bats roost in papyrus crowns, holes, termite mounds, and buildings, and exploit the food sources of reedbeds, thickets, and dense undergrowth (Kingdon, 1974a). Nycteris hispida was recorded from roofs at the ranger post at Moruajore. Scotophilus nigrita was recorded by the Greek River. It has also been recorded in Katonga Wildlife Reserve (Lloyd, 1997), but these are among the first known specimens of this species for Uganda (Robert Kityo, pers. comm.). It is classed as ‘Low Risk: near threatened’ in the 1996 Red List, although it is not listed for Uganda (Baillie & Groombridge, 1996), and Kityo (1996) classes it as ‘Data Deficient’ in the Ugandan context. Chaerophon pumila is a widely distributed species, familiar through having colonised roofs in almost every African town (Kingdon, 1974a). The bats are typical of the locality and habitat types. Three are classed as ‘Data Deficient’ in the Ugandan context (Kityo, 1996). 4.6 Reptiles 4.6.1 Introduction Reptiles have not been comprehensively studied in Uganda (Mathius Behangana, pers. comm.), and the status of the majority of East African reptiles has not yet been evaluated. Reptiles have an important role in the ecosystem, many consuming insects and vermin that may carry diseases. 4.6.2 Aim To survey and document the reptile diversity of the reserve. 4.6.3 Methods Lines of pitfall traps were established to catch ground dwelling fauna (see section 4.4.3). Reptiles were also captured opportunistically by hand, except for potentially poisonous snakes. Field identification of reptiles was carried out using Broadley & Howell (1991), Branch (1988) and Hedges (1983). Voucher specimens were sent for confirmation of identification to Mathius Behangana at the Department of Zoology, Makerere University. Frontier-Uganda Wildlife Protected Areas Project January 1998 Baseline Surveys Programme Report No. 13
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