Insectivorous bat assemblage in the hill dipterocarp forest of Temengor Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia

Bat diversity in the hill forests of Peninsular Malaysia is often poorly studied due to reasons such as
rough terrain and accessibility. Temengor is a 148 870 ha forest reserve that is well known for its
rich biodiversity, but is constantly facing pressure from poaching, expansion of the timber industry
and land development. In this study, we describe the insectivorous bat diversity of Temengor’s hill
dipterocarp forest. We captured 20 insectivorous bat species, most of which were forest specialists
and compared our results to a previous study done in the lower regions of the Temengor forest. The
species composition clearly shows that while cavernicolous bats dominated the lower regions, the
hill regions were dominated by tree/foliage roosting species. These distinct species communities
suggest that the large area of continuous forest in Temengor should be a conservation priority.