The eastern horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus megaphyllus, in south-east Queensland, Australia: colony demography and dynamics, activity levels, seasonal weight changes, and capture-recapture analyses

Abstract

During this study, 634 eastern hoseshoe bats, Rhinolophus megaphyllus, were captured at three colonies in south-east Queensland, with most data coming from two colonies (Anjuramba mine and Ravensbourne cave). Colony size, sex ratios, age structure, and colony function varied between colonies and with season. Capture–recapture data of banded bats was used to monitor movement patterns, seasonal weight changes, colony-size estimates at Anjuramba (JOLLY model), and the recapture frequency according to sex and age. The JOLLY estimator of the population size over-estimated the actual population at Anjuramba on most occasions but paralleled changes in population size. Of the 319 bats banded, 21.9% were recaptured, with only one recovery involving a movement between roosts. Adult males have a high roost-site fidelity and are more sedentary than adult females. The recapture rate and recapture frequency for adult males was significantly higher than for adult females. R. megaphyllus is active throughout the year but may enter torpor for short periods, with more females than males observed in torpor. There was no significant association between torpor and season. Longevity records of 7 years and 1 month were recorded for a sub-adult female and 7 years and 7 months for a juvenile female.