Guide to consideration of chiroptera in development projects on Réunion

In the context of measures aimed at supporting bats, financed by local developers during urban renovation projects, the BIOTOPE consultancy was chosen to undertake the writing of a Guide to consideration of chiroptera in development projects on Réunion.  That document was finalised in December 2020.

The three threatened and protected species found on the island –  Mormopterus françoismoutoui (known as the “Petit Molosse”), Taphauzous mauritianus (the Mauritian tomb-bat) and Pteropus niger (the Mauritian flying fox) – are very frequently impacted by the various development projects:  disturbance during urban works, destruction of their habitat, and mortality.  Feared due to lack of knowledge, sometimes a source of nuisance, mainly odour pollution(droppings) and often unknown to the general public, the bats are regularly disturbed, sometimes injured, if not killed, and their habitat destroyed –  a situation that has considerably increased the threats already weighing on these species.

This guide, the fruit of collaborative working by local experts from both public and private associations, thus offers courses of action for the bats on Réunion.

In it we find, in particular:

• Background information reviewing the state of knowledge about the species present;
• Information on the associated regulatory context;
• Recommendations by broad development project type to give better consideration to the bats.  Those recommendations are given upstream of the projects, at the design phase, during their implementation, and then throughout their progress and operation;
• A synthesis summarising the main key points to remember.

That approach, which is totally innovative on Réunion, thus gives reliable information to all the developers and partner stakeholders in that territory. The guide  represents an initial aid to decision-making through general recommendations. To go further in any development project, it will clearly be necessary to request the services of a consultancy specialising in the study of bats.

The book “BIOTOPE 2020, Guide to consideration of chiroptera in development projects on Réunion. 40 p.” can be downloaded free below.

The layout was created by our subsidiary Biotope Communication and Edition.