Bats of the Bahamas: natural history and conservation

Abstract

The Bahamas are well known for their karst landscape, with vast cave systems and inundated caves called blue holes that formed during the Pleistocene. Despite this, the biota of these islands has not been well documented when compared to other West Indian islands. It is important that Bahamians have the knowledge and tools to preserve the flora and fauna of their islands in the face of increasing development. This review provides an accessible resource for Bahamians and researchers by consolidating the available knowledge on bat biology from literature and natural history collections. Bats represent the most diverse group of mammals in The Bahamas and no study has thoroughly characterized their biology on these islands. There are currently 10 species of bat in The Bahamas, one of which is endemic and considered “near threatened” by the IUCN. While 9 of the 10 are considered species of “least concern,” bats in The Bahamas may be at higher risk of local extinction than in other parts of their ranges. As previous local conservation efforts have shown, it is imperative to gain support for bat research and conservation through outreach and education. We hope this review enables outreach efforts and research projects key to the conservation of bat populations in The Bahamas.