The Livingstone Fruit Bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is one of the treasures of Comorian biodiversity. Endemic to the Comoros archipelago, this large bat is found only on the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli. Its survival is threatened by the gradual disappearance of its natural habitat. Faced with this ecological emergency, Dahari has been committed for several years to preserving this species in collaboration with National Parks, directly involving local communities in conservation actions.
Agreements between communities and nature:
Since 2016, we have signed seven co-management agreements with owners of plots containing roosting sites for Livingstone's bats, protecting around a third of the species' global population. To take advantage of these agreements, owners of these roosting sites have received support to increase their agricultural yields on their fields outside of biodiversity hotspots.
Testimony of Abdouroihmane Hifadhui, village of Adda, first signatory of the co-management agreements:
"I approached Dahari because I had heard that these agents were passing through my field. So I asked for a chat to get an explanation. That's when I learned that it's a species of bat that only exists in the Comoros and that it's important to protect it. I didn't know that they were important species. They were there ever since and I never disturbed them.
We then agreed that I would not plow or cut down the trees and in return Dahari helped me with my agricultural activities on other plots. He gives me seeds every year depending on my needs, it can be potato seeds, tomato seeds for market gardening, equipment and they also gave me advice on how to plant better.
These bats will take tree seeds from far away and come to plant them in the fields. There are Mfuantsi trees (Chrysophyllum gorungosanum) which help for fodder and Mshampaka (Magnolia champaca), used to make oils and medicines. My plantations grow well here, compared to my other fields, so I find that the soil is very fertile, which is why the trees grow naturally without maintenance. So I want to tell other owners of roosting sites to understand the benefits that these bats bring to the fields and lands and to protect them too.
This participatory approach does not stop there. Since 2024, broader forest conservation agreements have been signed with other communities to strengthen the protection of forest areas essential to Anjouan's biodiversity but also to maintaining water supplies (discover the initiative).
Scientific studies to strengthen protection initiatives
Community engagement is accompanied by scientific research to better understand the dynamics of fruit bat populations. Recent studies carried out between 2016 and 2023 in the Comoros have provided insight into the population status of this threatened species in the Comoros. The Anjouan population has remained generally stable over the eight years of monitoring. The current estimate is approximately 1 to 200 individuals on Anjouan and 1 to 500 individuals on Mohéli. The study highlights the importance of long-term surveys to understand past population trends (see the study here).
Furthermore, in collaboration with the University of Comoros et Bat Conservation International, we carry out individual monitoring of Fruit Bats with GPS tags to understand how this endemic species of the Comoros uses the landscape in order to identify key trees used for feeding or resting (read the article).
This data will allow us to strengthen initiatives to preserve the Fruit Bat, a key conservation target for Dahari and its partners.
