Fauna

Cynopterus brachyotis

Cynopterus brachyotis
Latin name:Cynopterus brachyotis
Vietnamese Name:Dơi chó tai ngắn
Family:Pteropodidae
Order:Chiroptera
Class (Group):

Identification:

  • Short ears, with white or gray edges, less than 18 mm in length.
  • Light gray or brown fur.
  • Fur on the shoulders, neck, and hips of adults is orange or bright yellow.

Biology and Ecology:

  • Short-eared fruit bats ( Cynopterus brachyotis) inhabit diverse habitats, from mountainous forests to plains and urban areas.
  • They roost under the roofs of buildings, in cave walls, and under tree canopies.
  • These bats can fly approximately 97-113 km each night to forage.
  • Their diet consists of nectar, fruits, and seeds from various plant species.
  • Females have a gestation period from December of the previous year to August of the following year.
  • The gestation period lasts 115-125 days.
  • There are two birthing periods each year (from February to March and from June to August).
  • In each year, the second gestation period coincides with the lactation period of the first.
  • Newborns weigh approximately 11g.
  • Young are carried by their mothers for about 45-50 days.
  • Weaning occurs around 40-45 days.
  • Females reach sexual maturity at approximately 5-6 months old.
  • Males reach sexual maturity at approximately 15-20 months old.

Distribution:

  • Vietnam: Lào Cai, Hòa Bình, Hải Dương, Hà Nội, Ninh Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên – Huế, Quảng Nam, Khánh Hòa, Kontum, Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, Ninh Thuận, Đồng Nai, Ho Chi Minh City, Tây Ninh, Kiên Giang.
  • Global: India, Nepal, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Value:

  • Plays an important role in plant dispersal.
  • The subspecies C.b. hoffeti is endemic to Northern Vietnam.

Status:

  • Widespread distribution.
  • This species has been and continues to be hunted by local people in many areas, leading to a significant decline in both population size and distribution range.
  • The subspecies Cynopterus brachyotis hoffeti is very rare and has not been recorded since 1994.

Conservation Status:

  • VU A1c,d B2a,e (Vulnerable)

Conservation Measures:

  • Included in the Vietnam Red Book in 2000.
  • Hunting activities and other harmful impacts on this species should be prevented in the areas where they have been recorded.