YENI KODAI

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A shallow rocky chamber (SINGARAVELAN & MARIMUTHU 2003a) about 7.1 m long, 7 m wide and 2.3 m high, appears to consist of a natural single chamber cave in unspecified rock (possibly in laterite). SITUATION 2003a: The rocky chamber (note 1) is located inside High Wavy Tea and Coffee Estates (Kardana Coffe Estate) and the High Wavy Mountains or Andippatti Malai / Andippatti Hills (note 2) are situated near Chinnamanur [note 3], about 70 km away from Madurai (9°58'N, 78°10'E) towards the west. Kardana Coffee Estate is situated in the broad-leaved montane forest, interspersed with coffee bushes, at an altitude of 460 m avove mean sea level (SINGARAVELAN et al (2003a: 24). SITUATION 2003b: Kardana Coffee Estate in the High Wavy Mountains (9°42'N, 77°24') (SINGAVARAN & MARIMUTHU (2003b: 1253) indicates a spot which lies 15 km in a direct line due south of Chinnamanur / Chinnammanur (N09°50': E077°23') and falling on the India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 118 D2 D3) 11 km i a direct line due east of the small town of Kambam (N09°44': E077°18' WGS84) in Tan district. POSITION 1: N09°50': E077°24' (VANITHARANI 2005a: 7). POSITION 2: N09°50': E077°23' (SINGAVARAN & MARIMUTHU 2003a: 24). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The dimensions of the mouth of the chamber were 7.1 m (length) by 7.0 m (width/depth) by 2.3 m (height). There was a stream at a distance of about 25 m opposite the chamber mouth (SINGARAVELAN et al. 2003a: 25) CAVE LIFE: The chamber site is attractive mainly due to the presence of accumulated dried remnants of wild fruits [note 4] and fecal pellets on the floor, presumably of bats, indicating the possibility of bats using the place as feeding roost before they captured 28 individuals of the fruit bat (Chiroptera: Megachiroptera) Latidens salimalii Thonglongya 1972 (note 5) and observed that the … number of bats captured was relatively more at 20h00, it steadily decreased until 01h00 and thereafter the captures were nil. All bats captured durin the initial period were adults, juveniles were captured after 23h00. Bats visited the chamber mostly in groups ranging from four to 12 individuals. However, we noticed that bats avoided the mist nets on several occasions and flew away [note 6]. Visual observations made by using dim red light until 1930 h at the chamber during the second netting session showed that bats began to visit the chamber from 1900 h. Soon after entering the chamber the bats exhibited circling flights and a few of them flew out after about 10 s (n = 11). The bats still staying inside hung from the ceiling of the chamber, swivelled for one or two minutes and left the place to resume foraging sallies, at an altitude of 25 m above the chamber (n = 7). Two bats were munching away some fruits while staying inside the chamber. On the following morning we collected fresh remains of fruits and ejecta pellets found on a thick bed of dried remnants at the floor of the chamber. The fruits were later identified as Prunus eylanicus, Eleocarpus oblongus, Ficus glomerata, Ficus macrocarpa and Ficus beddomi. We did not recapture any marked bats during the second netting. Fruit bats other than L. salimalii were not captured. However, 12 insectivorous bats (ten Pipistrellus and two Myotis) were caught during the two netting sessions. No bats were captured in the other two mist nets placed above and below the chamber (SINGARAVELAN et al. 2003a: 25). the initial period were adults, juveniles were captured after 23h00. Bats visited the chamber mostly in groups ranging from four to 12 individuals. However, we noticed that bats avoided the mist nets on several occasions and flew away [note 6]. Visual observations made by using dim red light until 1930 h at the chamber during the second netting session showed that bats began to visit the chamber from 1900 h. Soon after entering the chamber the bats exhibited circling flights and a few of them flew out after about 10 s (n = 11). The bats still staying inside hung from the ceiling of the chamber, swivelled for one or two minutes and left the place to resume foraging sallies, at an altitude of 25 m above the chamber (n = 7). Two bats were munching away some fruits while staying inside the chamber. On the following morning we collected fresh remains of fruits and ejecta pellets found on a thick bed of dried remnants at the floor of the chamber. The fruits were later identified as Prunus the initial period were adults, juveniles were captured after 23h00. Bats visited the chamber mostly in groups ranging from four to 12 individuals. However, we noticed that bats avoided the mist nets on several occasions and flew away [note 6]. Visual observations made by using dim red light until 1930 h at the chamber during the second netting session showed that bats began to visit the chamber from 1900 h. Soon after entering the chamber the bats exhibited circling flights and a few of them flew out after about 10 s (n = 11). The bats still staying inside hung from the ceiling of the chamber, swivelled for one or two minutes and left the place to resume foraging sallies, at an altitude of 25 m above the chamber (n = 7). Two bats were munching away some fruits while staying inside the chamber. On the following morning we collected fresh remains of fruits and ejecta pellets found on a thick bed of dried remnants at the floor of the chamber. The fruits were later identified as Prunus the initial period were adults, juveniles were captured after 23h00. Bats visited the chamber mostly in groups ranging from four to 12 individuals. However, we noticed that bats avoided the mist nets on several occasions and flew away [note 6]. Visual observations made by using dim red light until 1930 h at the chamber during the second netting session showed that bats began to visit the chamber from 1900 h. Soon after entering the chamber the bats exhibited circling flights and a few of them flew out after about 10 s (n = 11). The bats still staying inside hung from the ceiling of the chamber, swivelled for one or two minutes and left the place to resume foraging sallies, at an altitude of 25 m above the chamber (n = 7). Two bats were munching away some fruits while staying inside the chamber. On the following morning we collected fresh remains of fruits and ejecta pellets found on a thick bed of dried remnants at the floor of the chamber. The fruits were later identified as Prunus eylanicus, Eleocarpus oblongus, Ficus glomerata, Ficus macrocarpa and Ficus beddomi. We did not recapture any marked bats during the second netting. Fruit bats other than L. salimalii were not captured. However, 12 insectivorous bats (ten Pipistrellus and two Myotis) were caught during the two netting sessions. No bats were captured in the other two mist nets placed above and below the chamber (SINGARAVELAN et al. 2003a: 25).