Anthropogenic Influences on Feeding Behaviour of Fruit Bats

Abstract

Fruit bats are ecologically important mammals that contribute significantly to seed dispersal, pollination, and maintenance of biodiversity in tropical ecosystems. However, increasing anthropogenic activities such as urbanization, deforestation, agricultural expansion, pesticide application, and artificial lighting have considerably altered their natural feeding behaviour and habitat utilization. The present study investigates the impact of anthropogenic influences on the feeding behaviour of fruit bats in semi-urban and fragmented ecosystems. Field observations were conducted in orchards, agricultural landscapes, urban green spaces, and disturbed forest habitats to evaluate feeding preferences, habitat selection, seasonal feeding activity, and behavioural adaptation of fruit bats under human-induced environmental changes.
The results revealed that fruit bats increasingly depend on cultivated fruit crops such as mango, banana, guava, and papaya due to reduction of natural forest resources. Urban green spaces and orchards served as major feeding grounds, while fragmented forests provided limited foraging opportunities. Anthropogenic disturbances significantly influenced feeding patterns, with artificial lighting and habitat destruction causing reduced nocturnal activity and altered foraging routes. Pesticide exposure also affected food resource quality and feeding frequency.
Seasonal variations in feeding activity were observed, with higher dependence on cultivated fruits during periods of natural food scarcity. Fruit bats exhibited adaptive feeding strategies by utilizing alternative food resources in urbanized landscapes. Despite such adaptability, continuous habitat degradation negatively affects nutritional balance, reproductive success, and ecological functions of bats.
The study highlights the ecological consequences of anthropogenic disturbances on bat feeding ecology and emphasizes the need for conservation-oriented habitat management. Preservation of native fruit-bearing vegetation, reduction of pesticide usage, and establishment of urban green corridors are essential for sustaining healthy fruit bat populations and maintaining ecosystem stability. The findings underscore the importance of integrating wildlife conservation with sustainable urban planning to ensure long-term ecological resilience.