The importance of bats and monitoring

 

On a dry summer evening not too long ago, I remember gazing into the sky and seeing flashes of black cut through the air at such a speed I could barely comprehend them. These creatures that filled the rural night sky were so interesting to me because of their uniqueness to any animal I had seen in the natural world. After asking my parents and subsequently searching materials online for information on bats I quickly realised just how unique they are not just in morphology but also in how they influence the natural world around them.

 

Bats have immense importance to us because their numbers can reflect the health of the surrounding natural world, as bats are particularly susceptible to the changes humans are making to it. The issues bats face are largely related to land use practices which can ultimately have impacts on their habitats, sources of food and health because of pollution. Thus, the monitoring of bats is useful as an indicator of biodiversity and monitoring the effects humans have on the world surrounding them.

 

Thinking back on my life, when I have seen these flashes in the evenings sky, they were always in areas I would consider “healthy” and somewhat untouched by the often-cruel treatment humanity can provide to the natural world.

 

Bats can be seen as important as bees as pollinators in some circumstances. In more tropical areas, for example, fruit bats act as pollinators. Many plants have grown solely reliant on bats as pollinators, especially in these tropical environments. The act of pollination by bats is important in biodiversity as it allows specific species to exist and thrive. The existence of these flora also has their individual uses, such as the agave plant which many would know produces tequila. Tequila has become a worldwide sensation, grossing over $11 billion in 2023, which is important, and I am not just saying that because I like tequila! Many other exports have come from these bat-pollinated plants that we all know and love such as species of guava, banana and even, many people's favourite fruit, mango. The monitoring of these bats allows you to know whether these bat-dependent plants may be present. Ultimately, the importance of bats as pollinators shows why they are so impactful in the natural world as over 500 different plant species are reliant on them to exist.

 

Many species are influenced by bats, not just through pollination but also through predation. Some bat species, everyone in Britain, have a diet which consists of insects. Which I am sure we can all appreciate! The predation of bats on these insects is incredibly important to keep insect populations under control. Within these insect populations influenced by bats are different varieties of pests which have influences on humans in different ways from species to species. This makes insect control particularly important. For example, everyone's least favourite part of a holiday, Mosquitoes, are prey for bats and these not only are a pest due to them being an annoyance through their bites, but they can also transmit deadly diseases. Just think about it, a world without bats would mean a world with a lot more bugs!

 

Methods of monitoring you can do to help

 

OK, hopefully, I have convinced you that bats are important so monitoring them is just if not more important. But how do we monitor them and how can you help? As with most species which build a nest or have a roost, you can monitor the population of bats by counting their roost. In the United Kingdom bats do not build roosts instead choosing to utilise present spaces. These need to be undertaken with caution so as not to disturb any bats that may be hibernating or any babies. These can be done in your local area with very little resources needed apart from your time.

 

Another way in which you can help to monitor bats in your local area is by simply observing them, usually at sunset to allow for some sunlight to help see the bats. Bats can be differentiated in terms of species and even individually told apart within the same species by size, colour and even the way they fly. These aptly named “Sunset surveys” have become more and more popular in recent years to the point where some groups are meeting to complete this, as seen through the Bat Conservation Trust. Those flashes of a dark palette on the evening's orange sky are what ignited my, what some would call, obsession with these animals with faces only a mother could love!

 

Finally, another way to monitor bats is through the detection of their echolocation calls, which normally could not be picked up by the human ear. This allows you to differentiate between different species due to their different calls. This can be done by detectors which can easily plug into your phone, so this method does require some specialist equipment. The calls can be visualized to allow for this differentiation, and once mastered allow for a way to monitor bats without having to follow their darting movements or track down roosts.

 

Recently, I have been involved in going out in my local area and observing some of these methods in the field. When I stood there, watching and listening to the faint sounds of the bats I realised why that time not too long ago I was so fascinated by these creatures. After, realising the importance they hold and how easy it was to monitor these species I have since been out to conduct more surveys to allow me to know that such important creatures are still present. This monitoring of these mammals allowed me to learn not just about the characteristics of bats themselves, but it also allowed me to reconnect with the world around me and realise how influential just one individual creature can be. I hope that whoever reads this and chooses to engage with it has a similar epiphany.