Endemic to the Comoros archipelago, the Livingstone fruit bat, an endangered species of bat, lives only on the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli. For several years, we have been working to monitor its population each year alongside the Comoros National Parks and the University of the Comoros.
To highlight this shared commitment with the Ntringui National Park, we collected the words of Ms. Kiboutia Boura, actively involved in the annual monitoring of the Livingstone Fruit Bat population in collaboration with Dahari since 2022.
Presentation of the Comoros National Parks.
The Agency " Comoros National Parks » was created to protect and enhance the exceptional ecosystems of the Comoros. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), the Comoros is home to unique biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine, which requires sustainable management for present and future generations. Its main mission is to preserve and restore the natural habitats of the Comoros, with the "stakeholders", and first and foremost the village communities. To this end, the Parks adopt "co-management" as an approach, that is, shared management to better protect diversity and promote sustainable development.
The Agency coordinates the management of six national parks of the Comoros, in co-management with village communities and national NGOs, in order to guarantee the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems while generating viable economic opportunities.
What role do you play within the Park?
"Hi, my name is Kiboutia Boura, I am an eco-guard for the Comoros National Parks. I work on the island of Anjouan for the Mont Ntringui National Park. This park is home to the remaining forest of Anjouan and represents a strong seat of our biodiversity, with endemic species such as the Livingstone's bat and the Comoros blue pigeon. I participate in monitoring activities within the Park, in raising awareness among local communities about the importance of conservation, in counting the Livingstone's fruit bat with Dahari and in our reforestation activities as well, with which we have benefited from training with Dahari on their participatory approach"
Can you explain what your specific role in counting Livingstone's Fruit Bats involves?
"Before going into the field, we hold refresher sessions at the Dahari office on the counting protocol and we also review the roosting sites to be visited by each technician. Once at the sites, we spend the day observing and counting the fruit bats and recording the data on tablets. The eco-guards' work ends there, as the data is automatically transferred to a database that Dahari has set up."
How does a counting mission actually work for you? (Preparation, fieldwork, follow-up)
“In 2022, we are being trained by the Dahari team on the methodology and process of the Livingstone fruit bat count. There is a whole protocol to follow before going into the field. There are also several tools that we must master, for example, knowing how to use binoculars to observe Livingstone fruit bats up close or from a distance, accurately marking observation points with GPS, and we also use tablets to record data on site.
Dormitories have increased over the years, in 2022 there were 17 sites and this year there are 20 listed on Anjouan. I think Dahari has made Livingstone's Fruit Bat tracking with GPS tags to track their movements, this is how we can identify other dormitory sites.
In two days, we manage to do the complete count because we go in groups of two people and each group goes to two sites. There are a large number of people, which is why we manage to complete the work quickly."
Why do you think this count is so important for the protection of fruit bats?
"Because it's a species endemic to the Comoros. Livingstone fruit bats contribute to forest regeneration. It's one of the park's conservation targets. That's why it's important for us to monitor this species to understand its status and development, so we can work more on its protection through our restoration, awareness-raising, and forest monitoring efforts."
What does this collaboration bring to the work of the National Park?
"This collaboration brings new life to our Livingstone monitoring efforts. Thanks to Dahari, we are able to better understand the world of Livingstones, precisely identify their roosts, and understand their habitats. This collaboration supports and responds to our key actions, which are the monitoring and protection of threatened flagship species and their habitats."
What are the biggest challenges you face when counting?
“The terrain is sometimes inaccessible, and some dormitories are far away and difficult to access. We have to walk for more than two hours and position ourselves from a distance to do the work, which is why binoculars are useful. These are enormous challenges for me, given the mountainous landscape of the island of Anjouan, but that doesn’t stop us.”
Do you have a memorable anecdote or a particular memory from a counting mission?
"What struck me most was sleeping in the field or in a nearby village. Every year, the monitoring groups change, and we meet up with different colleagues. At the end of the counting day, we settle in nearby towns or villages. On each outing, I discover new landscapes that remind me of our commitment to protecting these magnificent places."
