Communities attitudes and conservation strategies for flying foxes <Pteropus> spp. (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae): a case study from Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) are keystone pollinators and seed dispersers in tropical ecosystems, yet over half of these bat species are threatened with extinction, making their conservation a global priority. In Sabah, Malaysia, understanding local communities’ attitudes toward flying foxes is crucial for guiding effective conservation strategies. This study used a self-administered questionnaire survey targeting Sabahan communities (n = 320; 100 in-person, 220 online across various districts in Sabah) to assess conservation attitudes, knowledge gaps, and factors influencing these attitudes. Statistical tests revealed approximately 70% of Sabahan respondents (68% in-person; 77% online), expressed conservation-positive attitudes toward flying foxes, providing a strong basis for expanding community-driven conservation efforts, although over half exhibited limited ecological understanding or held misconceptions about flying foxes. Generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) identified knowledge level (Odds Ratio, OR = 7.43, p < 0.05), recognition of ecological importance (OR = 4.30, p < 0.05), and ethical opposition to culling (OR = 3.62, p < 0.05) as the strongest predictors of conservation support. Neither socio-demographic factors nor conflict-based experiences significantly predicted conservation attitudes. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted education and community engagement to improve knowledge and dispel misconceptions, raise awareness of legal protections for flying foxes, such as hunting permit requirements, and proactive efforts to address misinformation about zoonotic transmission risks from flying foxes. The development of educational tools, community outreach programmes, and non-lethal conflict mitigation strategies should be prioritised as key intervention points to promote flying fox conservation. Such measures, although grounded in Sabah’s context, can inform and strengthen flying fox conservation efforts in similar community settings elsewhere.