Biological control of insect-vector of disease by bats: importance of caves and their bat fauna in the Fars province

After rodents, bats are the most diverse mammalian order in Iran. All bat species distributing in Iran excluding one fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) feed mainly on insects. Therefore insectivorous bats can biologically help to control insect-vector of disease. Bats recognized to be natural reservoir hosts of a large variety of zoonotic diseases with the ability to cross species barriers. To date, more than 80 virus species of different groups and various parasites, which can cause several diseases have been isolated or detected in bats. Nearly half of all genera of bats utilize caves as day roosts, courtship, and mating sites, maternity roosts, and hibernacula. Growth in limestone quarrying and cave tourism industries in the province, severely threatens cave-dwelling bats, in addition to loss of foraging habitat and using pesticide in agriculture, and disruptive guano harvesting. Apparent declines of cave bats in Fars Province pose serious concerns that should be considered for conservation management.ObjectiveThe ultimate aim of the present study is to show the importance of bats in the biological control of insect-vector of disease and also designate conservation value for caves based on diversity and abundance of bat species to initiate a protection scheme centered to the present legislation.Material and MethodsWe located caves based on reports from published papers and information received from Department of Environment and cave climbers. 69 caves were surveyed, all of which were visited at least once. The number of bat individuals cannot be exactly counted in each case. Numbers were estimated for large colonies, sometimes with the help of photographs. Live bats were captured using hand or mist net. Identification of bats was based on keys and measurement of external features.