Kaf El Ghar Cave as Parturition Roost for Two Cave Dwelling Bat Species (Myotis punicus and Miniopterus schreibersii) in Northeastern Morocco

Following the report of neonate mortality in the Kaf El Ghar cave, Taza province, Morocco, we conducted two diurnal visits over two years (2023 and 2024) to assess diversity and breeding of bats in the cave and surrounding habitat. In the Garden house (foraging habitat), we used an automated bat detector SM4, positioned at 4 m of height from midnight to sunset. The following day, we made a diurnal visit to Kaf El Ghar cave, combining echolocation calls detection, hand netting of nearby bats, and counts of deceased neonates and other bats found on the ground. In the foraging area, we identified six bat species: Pipistrellus pipistrellus (517 acoustic detection), Miniopterus schreibersii (12), Eptesicus isabellinus (4), Rhinolophus hipposideros (4), and Myotis punicus (1). Inside Kaf El Ghar cave, we recorded M. schreibersii (720 individuals in the first year, 640 in the second) and M. punicus (500 and 460, respectively), alongside smaller numbers of E. isabellinus (5 and 7 detections), and Rhinolophus euryale (3 detections). Both M. schreibersii and M. punicus occupied the ceiling of the maternity room, bearing their young. In total, 286 cadavers (127 in the first year, 159 in the second year) were counted from the ground of the maternity gallery, consisting primarily of juveniles of M. schreibersii and M. punicus, with a single adult female R. euryale. This study highlights the critical role of Kaf El Ghar cave as a maternity site and underscores significant juvenile mortality during the breeding period, emphasizing the need for focused conservation efforts.