Bats mean us no harm
Bats are in the news since the past few weeks as the pandemic causing corona virus is believed to have been transmitted from bats to humans. Bats, however, shouldn't be blamed for this. Scientists, doctors and researchers studying the epidemiology of this virus have concurred that human actions have been responsible for this pandemic - starting from live wild animal markets of Wuhan to the callousness and ignorance of people in spreading the disease. The whole world is facing an apocalypse like situation...well almost literally.
This post isn't about #COVID19 but generally about these lesser known group of truly flying mammals known as Bats, of which around 1200 species exist worldwide. They are largest in numbers of all mammals, next only to rodents (rats, mice, squirrels, etc.). In India, there are around 120 species of bats recorded so far. Bats are of various types from one of the largest Flying Fox (seen in the photograph), feeding on fruits and flowers, to one of the smallest Pipistrelle, often seen hawking insects around at dusk. Primarily bats are nocturnal and spend the day on trees, in caves, old houses, roof tiles, crevices. They have evolved to enjoy this 'night life' and occupy a niche that no other mammal occupies. They are ecologically and economically very important as they help in pollinating flowers that bloom at night, feeding on fruits and helping in seed dispersal due to their ability to fly long distances, and most importantly eat insects such as gnats, mosquitoes and moths that are harmful to human health and agriculture.
This photograph of the Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus) was taken on a blooming White Silk Cotton (Ceiba pentandra) tree in Andheri, Mumbai. Don't miss the yellow pollen on the head of this bat...it is thus ready to pollinate more flowers, a phenomenon that sustains the life on earth.
Let us leave the bats alone. They mean us no harm. But if we harm them...nature retaliates! Image ©️ Kedar Gore
Bats are in the news since the past few weeks as the pandemic causing corona virus is believed to have been transmitted from bats to humans. Bats, however, shouldn't be blamed for this. Scientists, doctors and researchers studying the epidemiology of this virus have concurred that human actions have been responsible for this pandemic - starting from live wild animal markets of Wuhan to the callousness and ignorance of people in spreading the disease. The whole world is facing an apocalypse like situation...well almost literally.
This post isn't about #COVID19 but generally about these lesser known group of truly flying mammals known as Bats, of which around 1200 species exist worldwide. They are largest in numbers of all mammals, next only to rodents (rats, mice, squirrels, etc.). In India, there are around 120 species of bats recorded so far. Bats are of various types from one of the largest Flying Fox (seen in the photograph), feeding on fruits and flowers, to one of the smallest Pipistrelle, often seen hawking insects around at dusk. Primarily bats are nocturnal and spend the day on trees, in caves, old houses, roof tiles, crevices. They have evolved to enjoy this 'night life' and occupy a niche that no other mammal occupies. They are ecologically and economically very important as they help in pollinating flowers that bloom at night, feeding on fruits and helping in seed dispersal due to their ability to fly long distances, and most importantly eat insects such as gnats, mosquitoes and moths that are harmful to human health and agriculture.
This photograph of the Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus) was taken on a blooming White Silk Cotton (Ceiba pentandra) tree in Andheri, Mumbai. Don't miss the yellow pollen on the head of this bat...it is thus ready to pollinate more flowers, a phenomenon that sustains the life on earth.
Let us leave the bats alone. They mean us no harm. But if we harm them...nature retaliates! Image ©️ Kedar Gore
