On Friday, 17 April, the benefits of bats are celebrated worldwide on Bat Appreciation Day, and it is a good opportunity to remember what makes these small ecological “engineers” so essential to economies and food security.
By Carien Kruger, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
Forget the scary myths about bats and rather remember: One insect-eating bat can consume 500 to 1 200 insects in just one night!
Wild Africa CEO Peter Knights says bats are not evil animals or animals to be feared. “They are our allies; not our enemies. Their survival is inextricably linked to ours and they deserve greater understanding and protection.”
Also read: Bats offer a solution for pest control
Pest Control
Insect-eating bats feed on insects that are agricultural pests and disease vectors, among other things. Wild Africa says bats help control insect populations, reduce crop damage and limit the spread of insect-borne diseases.
In South Africa specifically, bats provide important protection to macadamia orchards. According to an article published in 2018 in the journal Ecosystem Services, a study showed that bats protect an estimated 0,53-1,29% of annual macadamia production by eating stink bugs. In this way, they help prevent 9-23% of farm-related losses.
Seed dispersers
Fruit-eating bats help to regenerate forests by dispersing seeds over long distances.
Pollinators
Nectar-feeding bats are important pollinators of wild plants, as well as economically important crops such as bananas, guavas, cashews, dates, figs, sugarcane, maize and cotton.
Nutrient recyclers
Bat droppings, known as guano, are a natural fertiliser that recycles nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon.
Threats To Bats
Habitat loss and degradation are the biggest threats to bats. This is driven by agricultural expansion, logging and urbanisation, which destroy important roosting, breeding and foraging habitats. The loss of forests and caves in particular has a major impact on bat populations.
Other threats include pesticide poisoning, collisions with wind turbines, outbreaks of diseases such as white-nose syndrome and people killing them out of fear and ignorance.
Also read: Farming with nature: Birds and predators as natural pest control
Myths Debunked
Wild Africa debunks five myths about bats:
- Myth: They are blood-sucking vampires.
Truth: Only three of the 1 500 bat species feed on blood, and none are found in Africa. - Myth: They are evil or bring bad luck.
Truth: This belief comes from folklore, not science. In fact, bats are essential to ecosystems and in many cultures are symbols of good luck and longevity. - Myth: They are aggressive and get tangled in your hair.
Truth: Bats are incredibly agile fliers. They are shy and try their best to avoid people, so it is very unlikely that they will fly into your hair. - Myth: They are dirty and full of diseases.
Truth: Bats are clean animals that groom themselves regularly. Like all animals, they can carry diseases, but the risk to humans is extremely low if they are not disturbed. In fact, they help prevent the spread of insect-borne diseases by consuming such insects. - Myth: They are pests that wreak havoc.
Truth: The opposite is true. They are essential to healthy ecosystems.
Also read:
Let wildlife through – and cut fence repairs
Cooperation needed for predator problems
