MANDU CAVES (Caves of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

So-called Caves of Mandu (BROSSET 1962c: 602 table) are rather caves at Mandu and may consist of man-made rock chambers, e.g. –>Champa Baoli or the –>Mandu Undergrounds. Also reported from Mandu (note 1) is –>Gagan Gufa and the caves (or so) at –>Jahangirpur Gate, –>Saat Kothadi, and –>Surajpura along with the –>Champa Baoli and certain –>Mandu Undergrounds.CAVE LIFE - bats (Chiroptera): BROSSET (1962c: 602 table) lists not only one colony of Rhinolophus lepidus Blyth 1844 from Ruins of Mandu (i.e. –>Mandu Undergrounds) but also another R. lepidus colony of estimated 100 or 150 individuals that were observed in one February (1960) … in the dark and humid part of these caves. Then, however, the matter turns unclear when BROSSET (1962c: 604) reports how at Mandu (either –>Champa Baoli, –>Mandu 'Caves' or Mandu Undergrounds) about 60 individuals were observed in complete hibernation while a cluster of 18 Rhinolophus lepidus, all deeply hibernating, was observed and photographed. BROSET (1961 plate 6) gives a photograph showing Un colonie d'une quinzaine de Rhinolophus lepidus en état d'hibernation profonde; Mandou février 1960 …ET (1961 plate 6) gives a photograph showing Un colonie d'une quinzaine de Rhinolophus lepidus en état d'hibernation profonde; Mandou février 1960 …