From Fear to Fascination: The Vital Role of Bats in Our Ecosystems
I was five or six years old when, inspired by Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven, I started a secret nature group with a neighbour kid. Every day, we would venture into the nearby forest, seeking animals and writing everything down in a small brown notebook, which we kept hidden so no one else could find it. Even then, we knew we couldn’t trust others not to destroy the nature we loved.
Of all the animals we encountered—lizards and scorpions, birds and snakes—the bats are what I remember most. I still remember them so vividly because I was terrified.
We discovered a small colony hanging from the ceiling of a shallow hollow, no more than three or four meters deep. They were tiny, about the size of a butterfly; some had babies clinging to their bellies.
When we first found them, horror stories about how bats sought out children to tangle in their hair filled our minds. Tentatively, while looking up, we took off our shirts and covered our heads. Coming back the following days, we made sure to have our hats on. It took a few visits before we realised that the bats had no interest in us or in our hair, and that we could safely visit them without hats.
Later in life, I began hanging bat boxes to encourage bats to become my neighbours. Regardless of the country, regardless of the role of bats in the ecosystem, many people expressed their unease with my passion, if not outright fear. From farmers in Thailand who believed that bats brought bad luck to educated Americans in Connecticut who thought that a bat flying in your bedroom required an immediate rabies shot, the fear of bats seems ubiquitous.
It does not seem to help that bats are among the most beneficial mammals, particularly insect-eating bats. Did you know that a single bat can eat about 8,000 flying insects a night? This is enormously beneficial to agriculture and helps reduce the spread of many insect-borne diseases.
Even less loved are the fruit bats, or flying foxes. They are bigger, noisier, and often attack our fruit trees, causing mess and damage to gardens and orchards. This is a genuine concern that should be addressed. But did you know that flying foxes also play a vital role in maintaining our environment?
Here are some facts about these fascinating creatures:
Nighttime Pollinators
Unlike bees, flying foxes are nocturnal pollinators! As they fly between trees and flowers in search of nectar, they transfer pollen, helping plants like eucalyptus and melaleuca grow and thrive. Without them, entire ecosystems could collapse.
Super Spreaders (of Seeds!)
Not only do they pollinate, but flying foxes can travel up to 50 kilometres in a night, spreading seeds over large areas. This helps regenerate forests and ensures that plant species grow in new areas.
Highly Social Creatures
Flying foxes live in large colonies, sometimes numbering in the thousands! Their social behaviour helps them communicate and find food sources. During the day, you’re likely to spot them hanging upside down, conserving energy for their nightly pollination missions. Flying foxes are highly intelligent. Incredibly, some species have been shown to use names when calling to one another– a rare trait shared by only a few of the most intelligent animals, including bottlenose dolphins and elephants.
Bats in the ecosystem: Threatened but Important
Tragically, flying fox populations are dwindling, driven by habitat loss, climate change, and deliberate human destruction. Protecting them isn’t merely about saving a species—it’s about preserving the many ecosystems that depend on their survival.
Let’s raise awareness about protecting these essential creatures. Share this post with a friend who you think would find this fascinating!
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