Epomophorus gambianus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	PTEROPODIDAE

Scientific Name:

Epomophorus gambianus

Species Authority:

(Ogilby, 1835)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat

Synonym/s:

Epomophorus gambianus Trouessart, 1904 ssp. pousarguesi

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Mickelburgh, S., Hutson, A.M. & Bergmans, W.

Reviewer/s:

Hutson, A.M., Racey, P.A. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Cox, N. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2004	–	Least Concern
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This widespread African bat ranges from Senegal in the west, through much of West Africa and parts of Central Africa, to Ethiopia in the east. It does not appear to be present to the south of northern Democratic Republic of the Congo or Ethiopia. It is typically a lowland species occurring below 500 m asl, however, the Ethiopian populations may be found up to 2,000 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Benin; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Liberia; Mali; Nigeria; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Sudan; Togo
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species is generally common throughout the woodlands and savannas of western Africa. Animals are often found in loose colonies of up to 100 bats.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This adaptable species is present in a variety of tropical moist and dry forest, savanna, bushland and mosaic habitats, and has additionally been reported from mangroves and swamp forests. It is able to persist in areas of partially degraded forest. Roosting usually takes place as individuals or small groups in dense vegetation (Happold 1987).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species as a whole. In parts of its range it is locally threatened by overhunting for food and habitat loss through logging and conversion of land to agricultural use.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species as a whole. In parts of its range it is locally threatened by overhunting for food and habitat loss through logging and conversion of land to agricultural use.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	In view of the species wide range, it is presumably present in many protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

In view of the species wide range, it is presumably present in many protected areas.

Bibliography [top]

	Boulay, M. C. and Robbins, C. B. 1989. Epomophorus gambianus. Mammalian Species 344: 1-5. Grubb, P., Jones, T. S., Davies, A. G., Edberg, E., Starin, E. D. and Hill, J. E. 1998. Mammals of Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Trendrine Press, Zennor, St Ives, Cornwall, UK. Happold, D. C. D. 1987. The Mammals of Nigeria. Oxford University Press, London, UK. Hayman, R. W., Misonne, X. and Verheyen, W. 1966. The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi. Annales Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques 154: 1-105. Simmons, N. B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 312-529. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA. Weber, N. and Fahr, J. 2007. Survey of endemic and globally threatened bat species in the Fouta Djallon Highlands for conservation priorities in Guinea. Yalden, D. W., Largen, M. J., Kock, D. and Hillman, J. C. 1996. Catalogue of the Mammals of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7. Revised Checklist, zoogeography and conservation. Tropical Zoology 9(1): 73-164.

Boulay, M. C. and Robbins, C. B. 1989. Epomophorus gambianus. Mammalian Species 344: 1-5.

Grubb, P., Jones, T. S., Davies, A. G., Edberg, E., Starin, E. D. and Hill, J. E. 1998. Mammals of Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Trendrine Press, Zennor, St Ives, Cornwall, UK.

Happold, D. C. D. 1987. The Mammals of Nigeria. Oxford University Press, London, UK.

Hayman, R. W., Misonne, X. and Verheyen, W. 1966. The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi. Annales Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques 154: 1-105.

Simmons, N. B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 312-529. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Weber, N. and Fahr, J. 2007. Survey of endemic and globally threatened bat species in the Fouta Djallon Highlands for conservation priorities in Guinea.

Yalden, D. W., Largen, M. J., Kock, D. and Hillman, J. C. 1996. Catalogue of the Mammals of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7. Revised Checklist, zoogeography and conservation. Tropical Zoology 9(1): 73-164.

Citation:	Mickelburgh, S., Hutson, A.M. & Bergmans, W. 2008. Epomophorus gambianus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided