Abstract:
Eight bat species were recorded at Gatkop Cave,
in the northern part of South Africa in December 2011
(Cloeotis percivali, Hipposideros caffer, Myotis tricolor,
Miniopterus natalensis, Nycteris thebaica, Rhinolophus
blasii, Rhinolophus smithersi, and Rhinolophus simulator).
With the exception of M. natalensis, R. simulator and Myo.
tricolor, the other five species were recorded for the first
time at Gatkop Cave during this time of the year, when
thousands of M. natalensis use the cave as a maternity
and nursery roost. Previously it was suggested the large
numbers of M. natalensis using Gatkop Cave during the
maternal period excluded other bat species. The reason
for this recorded change in species roost composition at
Gatkop Cave during the maternal period in relation to previous
records made from the late 1960s and the mid 1980s
is not clear, two possible reasons are the loss of other
roosts, or these species were previously present but were
not captured
as a result of the particular methods used.
