Keberadaan, Karakteristik Habitat, dan Potensi Gangguan Kelelawar di Kampus IPB Darmaga, Bogor

Abstract

Kelelawar merupakan mamalia nokturnal yang memiliki tingkat adaptasi tinggi terhadap berbagai jenis habitat, termasuk lingkungan yang dimodifikasi manusia. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi keberadaan, aktivitas, karakteristik habitat, serta potensi gangguan kelelawar di Kampus IPB Darmaga. Metode penelitian meliputi eksplorasi jejak; penangkapan menggunakan mist net di lima lokasi yaitu Perumahan Dosen, Hutan Al-Hurriyah, Taman Hutan Kampus, Parkiran FEM, dan Gymnasium; identifikasi morfometri dan morfologi; serta wawancara terhadap 40 responden. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya dua spesies kelelawar, yaitu Cynopterus titthaecheilus (codot besar) dan Myotis muricola (lasiwen biasa), yang keduanya berstatus tidak dilindungi dan Least Concern menurut IUCN. Kelelawar memanfaatkan berbagai habitat antara lain atap bangunan, pepohonan (sawo dan kelapa), hingga gorong-gorong. Jumlah individu kelelawar terbanyak yang teramati ditemukan bertengger di atap perumahan dosen. Temuan kelelawar menunjukkan potensi gangguan berupa akumulasi kotoran yang terjatuh di dasar lantai maupun dinding bangunan serta kerusakan pada bunga petai dan buah-buahan akibat aktivitas makan kelelawar. Sebagian besar responden menganggap kelelawar mengganggu, meskipun demikian kelelawar memiliki peran ekologis penting sebagai penyebar biji dan pengendali serangga. Implikasi penelitian ini menekankan perlunya strategi pengelolaan kampus yang menyeimbangkan mitigasi konflik dengan pelestarian fungsi ekologis kelelawar.

Bats are nocturnal mammals that are highly adaptable to a wide range of habitats, including human-modified environments. This study was aimed to identify the presence, activity, habitat characteristics, and potential nuisances caused by bats on the IPB Darmaga Campus. Research methods included track surveys; capture using mist nets at five locations at the Lecturers’ Housing Estate, Al-Hurriyah Forest, the Campus Forest Park, the FEM Parking Area, and the Gymnasium; morphometric and morphological identification; and interviews with 40 respondents. The study identified two bat species, including Cynopterus titthaecheilus (Indonesian short-nosed fruit bat) and Myotis muricola (Wall-roosting mouse-eared bat), both of which are unprotected and classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. The bats utilise a variety of habitats, including building roofs, trees (sapodilla and coconut palms), and culverts. The highest number of individual bats was observed roosting on the roofs of lecturers’ housing complexes. The presence of bats indicates potential disturbances in the form of accumulated droppings falling onto floors and building walls, as well as damage to petai flowers and fruit caused by feeding activity. The majority of respondents considered the bats to be a nuisance; however, bats play an important ecological role as seed dispersers and insect predators. The implications of this research emphasise the need for campus management strategies that balance conflict mitigation with the conservation of the bats’ ecological functions.