Dobsonia chapmani

– Critically Endangered

Taxonomy

Kingdom:	ANIMALIA
Phylum:	CHORDATA
Class:	MAMMALIA
Order:	CHIROPTERA
Family:	PTEROPODIDAE
Scientific Name:	Dobsonia chapmani
Species Authority:	Rabor, 1952
Common Name/s:	NEGROS NAKED-BACKED FRUIT BAT (Eng) PHILIPPINE BARE-BACKED FRUIT BAT (Eng)

Assessment Information

Red List Category & Criteria:

CR A2cd ver 3.1 (2001)

Year Assessed:

2006

Assessor/s:

Heaney, L., Ong, P., Tabaranza, B., Rosell-Ambal, G. & Balete, D.

Evaluator/s:

Sechrest, W. & Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Coordinating Team)

Justification:

Extant populations of this species were recently rediscovered on Cebu (2000) and Negros (2003). The species had previously not been recorded since 1964, despite intensive surveys. The species was therefore incorrectly considered Extinct. It is now listed as Critically Endangered A2cd, because its habitat has been severely degraded, habitat loss is ongoing, and it is actively hunted. There are currently no estimates of population size on either island. The remaining forest habitat on these islands is severely fragmented, and continues to decline.

History:

1988	-	Extinct? as D. exoleta chapmani (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1990	-	Extinct? as D. exoleta chapmani (IUCN 1990)
1994	-	Extinct? (Groombridge 1994)
1996	-	Extinct (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range

Range Description:	This species is endemic to the Philippines, where it is only known from Negros and Cebu Islands (Heaney et al. 1998, Simmons 2005). This species was previously considered Extinct, but has recently been rediscovered on both Cebu and Negros. Elevation range 0-800m.
Countries:	Regionally extinct: Philippines

Population

Population:

The species was believed to have become extinct by the 1970s as a result of the combination of forest destruction, disturbance through guano mining, and hunting (Heaney and Heideman 1987, Utzurrum 1992). Populations were rediscovered on Cebu Island in 2000 (Pangutalan et al. in press), and 5 individuals were found in a small limestone forest fragment (Calatong) near Sipalay City, Negros Occidental province, southwest Negros Island in 2003 (Alcala et al. in press), with only four specimens. Previously, all known individuals of Dobsonia chapmani were taken from the islands of Negros and Cebu between 1949 and 1964. No further individuals were recorded until 2000, and the species was presumed to have been extinct since about 1970.

Population Trend:

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology:

New populations have been found in degraded karst habitat on both islands, living in small caves or cracks in limestone. The species forages in karst habitats, which have lower rainfall than in other parts of country. Formerly common in lowland forest from sea level to 800 m in southern Negros Island, where it roosted exclusively in caves (Rabor 1986, Heaney and Heideman 1987, Utzurrum 1992).

System:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

List of Habitats:

1.6	Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland
7.1	Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) - Caves

Threats

Threats:

There is a geothermal power plant in the same area where the species was rediscovered on Negros. Lowland forest and karst habitat has been heavily degraded by logging and clearing for agriculture (mostly sugar plantations). The species is still hunted in both areas. Disturbance of cave roosts by guano mining and hunting of bats for meat have also contributed to the decline of this species.

List of Threats:

1.1.1.1	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Shifting Agriculture (ongoing)
1.1.1.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Small-holder farming (ongoing)
1.1.1.3	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Agro-industry farming (ongoing)
1.3.3.1	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Small-scale subsistence (ongoing)
1.3.3.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Selective logging (ongoing)
1.3.3.3	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Clear-cutting (ongoing)
1.4.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Human settlement (ongoing)
3.1.1	Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Food - Subsistence use/local trade (ongoing)
10	Human disturbance (ongoing)

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions:

On Cebu, the species occurs in the Catmon municipal watershed that has some level of protection. In Negros, it was found in a provincial level forest reserve (Calatong) in southwestern Negros. There is an urgent need for protection of the remaining known subpopulations.

List of Conservation Actions:

1.2.1.2	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - National level (in place, needed)
3.2	Research actions - Population numbers and range (in place, needed)
4.4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (in place, needed)
4.4.3	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Management (in place, needed)

Bibliography

Bibliography:

Baillie, J. and Groombridge, B. (compilers and editors) 1996. 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Fauna and Flora International. 2001. 'Extinct' Philippine naked-backed fruit bat rediscovered on Cebu. Fauna and Flora 1: 12.

Groombridge, B. (ed.) 1994. 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Heaney, L.R. and Heideman, P.D. 1987. Philippine fruit bats, endangered and extinct. Bats 5: 3-5.

Heaney, L.R., Balete, D.S., Dolar, L., Alcala, A.C., Dans, A., Gonzales, P.C., Ingle, N., Lepiten, M., Oliver, W., Rickart, E.A., Tabaranza Jr., B.R. and Utzurrum, R.C.B.1998. A synopsis of the mammalian fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana Zoology (new series) 88: 1-61

IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1988. 1988 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN. 1990. 1990 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

Mickleburgh, S.P., Hutson, A.M. and Racey, P. (compilers) 1992. Old World Fruit Bats. An Action Plan for their Conservation. IUCN/SSC Chiroptera Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland Switzerland.

Nowak, R.M. (ed.) 1999. Walkers Mammals of the World. Sixth edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.

Rabor, D.S. 1986. Guide to the Philippine flora and fauna. Natural Resources Management Centre. Ministry of Natural Resources and University of the Philippines.

Simmons, N.B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. In: D.E. Wilson and D.M. Reeder (eds) Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition, vol 1, pp. 312-529. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Utzurrum, R.C.B. 1992. Conservation status of Philippine fruit bats (Pteropodidae). Silliman Journal 36: 27-45.

Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M. (eds). 1993. Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London.

Citation:	Heaney, L., Ong, P., Tabaranza, B., Rosell-Ambal, G. & Balete, D. 2006. Dobsonia chapmani. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 12 May 2008.
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