Camera trap footage has shown, for the first time, that a threatened bat species in Malaysia is an important pollinator of durian trees (Durio zibethinus).
Past research in other parts of the world has shown that certain bats do pollinate durian trees, and insects may also play a role. But until now, scientists weren’t sure whether large fruit bats — known in Malaysia as “flying foxes” — were a help or a hindrance to durian trees’ production of fruit.
When I saw all this incredible video footage from our camera traps, showing the flying foxes feeding on durian nectar without actually destroying the flowers, I was completely mind-blown,” said Sheema Abdul Aziz, a conservation ecologist and president of Rimba, a Malaysian conservation NGO, in an email.
“I had to really reassess my assumptions about these bats.”
Sheema led a team of researchers who set out to understand what impact these large-bodied bats might be having on such a critical staple of the local diet in Peninsular Malaysia.
Durian fruit, known for its pungent — and some might say off-putting — aroma, is adored by some for its taste. In many villages in Malaysia, locals tend to descendants of the naturally occurring, wild variety of the tree.
With the help of a group of expert climbers from the organization Tree Climbers Malaysia, Sheema and her colleagues installed 19 camera traps in four of these “semi-wild” durian trees.
Read more at Eco-Business
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