Percentage of carcass and habitat of the black bat (Pteropus alecto) in Kaironi, Sidey District, Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Kamilin AF, Warsono IU, Pattiselanno F. 2023. Percentage of carcass and habitat of the black bat (Pteropus alecto) in Kaironi, Sidey District, Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 8: 159-163. Bats are known for their important ecological role in dispersing fruit seeds and helping pollinate flowers of high-economic value plants. In addition to this role, fruit-eating bats are classified as wild animals that are used by humans as an alternative source of animal protein because their meat is nutritious and rich in essential minerals. Therefore, bats are one of the animals that are often hunted for consumption. People in Kaironi village consume bats as a source of household animal protein. In line with the increasing public interest in the consumption of processed bat meat and the contribution of bat meat to meeting meat consumption outside of conventional livestock, it is necessary to conduct research on the productivity of carcass and meat produced by fruit-eating bats. This study aims to determine body weight, calculate carcass production and describe the habitat of the black bat Pteropus alecto which is consumed by people in Kaironi. A total of 15 individual bats caught during the study period were weighed and the carcass percentage was calculated. The data obtained were analyzed using the Microsoft Excel program. The results showed that the body weight of the bats was 1192.33 ± 358.14 g with a carcass percentage of 50.30 ± 4.25 and a non-carcass percentage of 49.70 ± 4.25. The habitat of black bats which is a plantation consists of water guava (Syzygium aqueum), kapok flowers (Ceiba pentandra), guava (Psidium guajava), bananas (Musa paradisiaca), papaya (Carica papaya), flowers from the boat tree (Xanthostemon novaguineensis) and Matoa (Pometia pinnata).