Bats, a remarkable group of mammals effortlessly soaring even the pitch-black skies, are probably one of the most familiar wildlife to us, but for all the wrong reasons. The myths and tales we grew up listening to, have always portrayed bats as a symbol of evil and ill will. This perspective of ours has worsened with the outbreak of recent zoonotic diseases such as COVID 19 and Nipah. On the other hand, the incomparable ecological services bats provide are going unnoticed and disregarded. These excellent pollinators, are also efficient in seed dispersal and pest control, making them an inevitable part of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the pandemic has sparked widespread hostility towards bats across the state. Instead of appreciating the crucial ecological tasks they serve and approaching the problem at hand with the right scientific solutions, the public was driven to remove roosting spots from their backyards due to rising concern.
But did you know that bats tend to shed disease-spreading viruses when they are stressed and that disturbing bat roosts and destroying their habitats are major external stressors? The measures we take to protect ourselves can potentially backfire, if they are not based on scientific research. Hence it is important to address the issue scientifically, which requires both conserving the species and protecting ourselves at the same time. This calls for a widespread research throughout the state, by which we can learn more about bats, recognize sensitive zones where humans are in close contact with bat roosts and take scientific measures to protect ourselves as well as the species. As a first step to achieve this goal, the Centre for Citizen Science and Bioinformatics (CCSBI) (Department of Wildlife Biology) of KFRI has initiated ‘The Fruit Bat Project’, in which you too, as citizens, can take part!
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Wondering what The Fruit Bat Project is?
The fruit bat project involves mapping the roosts of a particular fruit bat species called the Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus medius) through citizen scientists, who will help locate the roosts spread across Kerala. The roosts then will be studied to learn more on the species, their population size and to identify possible hotspots which requires attention, thereby implementing effective management strategies to ensure better coexistence between humans and bats. In the long run, the project intends to monitor the roosts, ensuring and taking measures to protect the public as well as the species. The citizen scientists, in this context, will play a pivotal role by identifying roosts scattered throughout the state, which is crucial in achieving the goal of the project.
What are Fruit Bats?
“Fruit bat: any of numerous tropical bat species belonging to the Old World fruit bats
(family Pteropodidae), such as flying foxes”
Fruit bats are bats that are primarily frugivorous or fruit/plant product consumers. The Fruit Bat Project currently focuses on the bat species Pteropus medius, commonly known as the Indian Flying Fox which is the largest bat species in our country. We can often see these dog-faced bats in our backyard, feeding on fruits like guava and mango or flying with their large wings spread through the twilight sky even in the cities.
Click on ‘Fruit bats of Kerala’ to learn more on the Indian flying Fox and other species of fruit bats found in Kerala.
Click on ‘Fruit bats of Kerala’ to learn more on the Indian flying Fox and other species of fruit bats found in Kerala.
Where to find them?
One must have come across at least once, a large tree as the banyan mentioned above, with numerous bats hanging upside down on its branches, seemingly resting. These trees provide shelter and protection to them. Any such place where bats live, let it be trees, caves, abandoned buildings, or even the roof tiles of your house, is called a bat roost.
The roosts of Indian Flying Fox are usually easier to identify as they are mostly found in wide canopy trees such as Banyan (Ficus benghalensis; പേരാൽ), Cluster fig (Ficus racemosa; അത്തി), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica, പുളി), Peepal (Ficus religiosa;അരയാൽ), Mango (Mangifera indica; മാവ്), Java Plum (Syzygium cumini; ഞാവൽ), Neem (Azadirachta indica; ആര്യവേപ്പ്) and some narrow canopy trees such as Arjun tree (Terminalia arjuna; നീർമരുത്), False Ashoka (Polyalthia longifolia; അരണമരം) etc.
The roosts of Indian Flying Fox are usually easier to identify as they are mostly found in wide canopy trees such as Banyan (Ficus benghalensis; പേരാൽ), Cluster fig (Ficus racemosa; അത്തി), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica, പുളി), Peepal (Ficus religiosa;അരയാൽ), Mango (Mangifera indica; മാവ്), Java Plum (Syzygium cumini; ഞാവൽ), Neem (Azadirachta indica; ആര്യവേപ്പ്) and some narrow canopy trees such as Arjun tree (Terminalia arjuna; നീർമരുത്), False Ashoka (Polyalthia longifolia; അരണമരം) etc.
Why be a part of this Project?
“It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform”, states the eighth fundamental duty of an Indian Citizen as per the Constituiton of India. This project is an effort to inculcate such a scientific spirit in citizens, as yourselves, regardless of your background, by introducing you to the frontier of scientific research. The citizen scientists; Common people, with an interest in scientific research and conservation, can assist in the project with the constant support and guidance from the Department of Wildlife Biology, Kerala Forest Research Institute. Therefore, we invite you to be a part of this initiative by joining this citizen science community and to become the scientific pillar to form a network across the state, to locate and monitor the roost sites of the Indian Flying Fox, P.medius.
Bats provide crucial ecological tasks such as pollination, seed distribution, and pest control.
How to take part?
All you have to do is mark the location of the roost you come across, in the survey form given below along with other basic details that you can easily fill in. After turning on the location in your mobile phone, click on the icon “⊕” given in the survey form, which will detect your current location. Even if you do not know the exact location or have only passed through the location of the roost by a vehicle, you still can go ahead and fill the survey form. In this case, you can provide the approximate location by browsing on the search tab and need not fill part II and III category of the form. The data you provide will be collected and analyzed to identify roosts and hotspots. Identified roosts will be monitored on ground by the institution. Interested participants can take part in the field study in their region by contacting the mentioned phone number. Once you finish the survey, click the “submit” button. Take care not to disturb the bat roosts. Click on the tab below to begin your Fruit Bat journey!
If you have any enquiries check the FAQ section or feel free to contact us.