Exploratory visits to Jinnah during March 2008 and subsequent visits in each successive month provided new information of the ecology and biology of the Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus). There were 45 trees belonging to 22 species that were used as roosts by bats. The population of the indian flying fox varied from 884 - 2267 individuals. Among 45 roost, there were thirteen viz, Albizia procera, Aegle marmelos, Celtis australis, Cinnamomum, camphora, Dalbergia sissoo, DIospyros peregrina, Ficus elastica, Kigelia pinnata, Pinus roxburghii, Pterospermurn acerifölium, Putranjiva roxburghii, Terminalia bellerica and Taxodium mucronatum that harboured less than 100 bats.
Ceiba pentandra and Pistachia chinensis were the staple food item in bat guano and bolus during winter and autumn, respectively. The seeds of Ficus spp. were highly preferred and seven species viz; Ficus benjamina, F bengalensis, F. carica, F glomerta, F. mysorensis, F. religosa and F. retusa were identified that were consumed by bats throughout the year in their respective fruiting season. the seeds of Diospyros kaki and D. peregrina also showed 100 % consumption rate and were preferred by bats during winter and autumn, respectively (present study).
Bat guano forms the basis of food web consisting of bacteria, fungi, protozoans, nematods and arthropods. Ten fungal genera were identified from bolus and eight fungal genera from guano the randomly collected samples of the Indian flying fox in different seasons at Jinnah Garden. Alternaria, Aspergillus Candida, Chrysosporium Fusarium Penicillium and Saccharomyces were observed in the bolus of the bat. The fungal genera observed in guano included Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chrysosporium, Cryptococcus Exophiala Histoplasma Scopulariopsis and Trichophyton. Six bacterial genera were identified from bolus and ten from the guano seasonal sampling at Jinnah Garden. These included Acaligens, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Bartonella, Coryenbacteria, Klebsella, Listeria, Nitrsomonas, Nocardia, Salmonella and Stretomycetes.
The fresh guano of fruit bats is dark in colour and forms a flat, laminated mass. It generally contains more than 60% organic matter. Mineral composition of bolus and guano of Indian flying fox at Jinnah Garden were analyzed in four seasonal samples throughout the year. The pH of fruit bat bolus near acidic to neutral ranges between 6.7 and 7.4 where as pH of fruit bat is guano is near neutral to alkaline ranges between 7.1 and 7.4. The most abundant elements in bolus and guano are nitrogen and phosphorus whereas potassium is less abundant. The total nitrogen ranges between 2.28 % and 4.10 % the nitrogen values are higher in bolus than guano (2.0 % and 3.30) and the total phosphorus ranges between 3.10 % and 5.20 % which is slightly higher than the phosphorus range of bolus (3.50 % and 5.0 %).