SI Animal Species and its Status

Solomon Islands attracts immense interest from the international community due to the uniqueness, diversity and biological significance of its natural environment. Solomon Islands' forests form part of the belt of tropical rainforest that covers only 7 percent of the Earth's surface but that accommodates 70 percent to nearly 90 percent of all species of plants and animals. Next to PNG, Solomon Islands has a greater diversity of land-based species and a higher level of endemism than any other Pacific island nation(WWF,2003).

From datas gathered, the rate of extinction of our species of birds and animals is increasingly alarming. Here I have gathered some of the species that is listed as critically endangered species and endemic to Solomon Islands.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED:

Animal Info: Montane Monkey-faced Bat
Pteralopex pulchra
Status: Critically Endangered (CR)- This means that a species is Critically Endangered when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future ( IUCN Red Data Book - Volume 1 - Mammalia, 1996).

Profile:
The head and body length of the genus Pteralopex is 255 - 280 mm (10 - 11"). The other species in the genus are generally restricted to primary forest, and this species may be similar. The montane monkey-faced bat is found above the altitude of 800 m (2600'). It probably has a diet similar to the other species of the genus, mainly based on nuts.

The montane monkey-faced bat is known only from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
Fiji has one of five species currently described in this genus, the other four being from the Solomon Islands. One of the Solomon Islands species, Pteralopex taki, has only recently been described (Parnaby 2002).

Animal Info - Cusp-toothed Fruit Bat
(Other Names: Chao Rondo, Cusp-toothed Flying Fox, Guadalcanal Monkey-faced Bat)
Pteralopex atrata
Status: Critically Endangered

Profile
The head and body length of bats in the genus Pteralopex is 162 - 275 mm (6.4 - 11"). As a rule the genus Pteralopex is confined to primary forest. The cusp-toothed fruit bat probably has a similar diet to the other species of the genus, which is predominantly based on nuts. This is based on the generic feature of specialist dentition. As a rule the genus is confined to primary forest.

The cusp-toothed fruit bat occurs on Guadalcanal and Santa Ysabel Islands in the Solomon Islands. It apparently has declined sharply but was sighted in 1991. All known species the genus Pteralopex are threatened by current logging practices. The cusp-toothed fruit bat on Guadalcanal faces extirpation due to the forecast of all forest below 800 m (2600') being lost within the next decade.

Countries Where the Cusp-toothed Fruit Bat Is Currently Found:

2004: Occurs in Solomon Islands. (IUCN 2004)
History of Distribution:

The cusp-toothed fruit bat occurs on Guadalcanal and Santa Ysabel Islands in the Solomon Islands. It apparently has declined sharply but was sighted in 1991 (Nowak 1999).
Threats and Reasons for Decline:

All known species the genus Pteralopex are threatened by current logging practices. The cusp-toothed fruit bat on Guadalcanal faces extirpation due to the forecast of all forest below 800 m (2600') being lost within the next decade (Bowen-Jones et al. 1997).