Biological, ecological, and conservational study of Kuhl's bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii) from Unizah province, Saudi Arabia

This study is the first concerning biology, ecology, and conservation on any bat species in Saudi Arabia. Egyptian fruit (Rousettus aegyptiacus ), Kuhl's (Pipistrellus kuhlii), Trident leaf-nosed (Asellia tridens), and Sind serotine bats (Eptesicus nasutus) were four species found in Unizah province, Al-Gassim. Since Kuhl's bats were the most abundant species captured and seen in all months of the year, its biology and ecology was studied from July of 2005 to August of 2006.;Female Kuhl's bats were larger and heavier than males. Bats captured in date palm plantations and oasis were heavier than those captured in farms with large irrigated fields of barley and alfalfa. Higher body mass was associated to low bat abundance, while lighter body mass was seen in farms with high bat abundance. Body mass reached its minimum in winter in response to deprived food and cold and reached its maximum in late spring and early summer in response to food availability and optimum temperature.;Kuhl's bats have a single molt occurring in summer from late April until September with most bats molting in July. Males initiated molt before females. Both sexes terminated molt mostly at same time. Molt began on dorsum first and then on the ventrum. New pelage appeared white first and then become light brown. Within few months, the new light brown pelage darkened to a cinnamon color. Juveniles molted 2-3 months after birth replacing their dark pelage to a pelage similar to adults new pelage. The current study as well as other studies on different bat species indicated that molt is a species specific regarding its timing and patterns.;Kuhl's bats did not migrate in winter but entered a deep state of torpor and occasionally emerged in warmer winter nights to forage. In summer, bats suffered from high daytime temperature while roosting. At dawn after returning to the roost, body temperature was reduced to a level below normal body temperature and little above ambient temperature. Bats re-warmed as ambient temperature increased during daytime. Few hours before dusk, body temperature reached high level forcing bats to physiologically and behaviorally tolerate high heat.;Kuhl's bats roost close to human settlements. Summer roosts included cervices inside and outside man-made structures, in date palm trees, and caves. On summer nights, a roost named "resting roost" near feeding grounds was used temporarily between foraging trips instead of returning to the main roost. Winter roosts were restricted to inner cervices of cement and clay houses. Maternity roosts where young were born was another roosting type used during pup raising season in late spring. Females also used regular mixed gender roosts as maternity roost if roosts are limited. However, females formed all female maternity roosts in exterior cracks of clay houses walls to be used during breeding season only (mid April- mid May). Within a regular roost, females outnumbered males. Bats switch roosts within the same roosting area. They also show site fidelity to the same roosting site.;Kuhl's bat possible occupation of bat houses as an alternative roost type was tested as it was successful in Italy. Bat houses in the current study were distributed in different locations among different habitats, but were not occupied. Because Bat Conservation International advises to allow over two years for bats to discover bat houses, my bat houses will be left at their locations to continue testing their success. Regarding rabies, three of the 40 bats tested yielded a positive diagnosis for rabies. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...