Bats

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – A world with fewer bats around is one that has failed to understand the critical role they play in ecosystems

Concept –

Bats are the largest mammalian group after rodents, with over 1,300 species making up a quarter of all mammals.
They occur on all continents except Antarctica and are particularly diverse in South Asia, with 114 species of insect-eating bats and 14 fruit bats, also known as “flying foxes”, occurring in India.
They roost in large colonies on trees, tree hollows, caves, rock crevices and abandoned manmade structures.
They play a unique role in maintaining ecosystem structure, making a singular contribution to our food production, economy and well-being.
They are the only mammals capable of true flight and have a unique sonar-based echolocation mechanism to capture prey at night.

Their Significance –

Seed dispersal – The diet of fruit-eating bats consists largely of flowers and fruits such as mangoes, bananas, guavas, custard apples, figs, tamarind and many species of forest trees.
Pollination – Studies have found that bats play a vital role in pollination, mainly of large-flowered plants, and in crop protection.
Production boost – Some large insectivorous bats are also reported to feed on small rodents.
Soil fertility – Bat droppings provide organic input to soil and facilitate nutrient transfer, contributing to soil fertility and agricultural productivity.
Health benefits – contribute to human health by reducing populations of mosquitoes and other insect vectors that spread malaria, dengue, chikungunya and other diseases.

Why do bats never fall sick?

Bats are reservoirs for viruses, but they never fall sick.
Flying results in toxic by-products that could damage cell contents.
Bats have evolved mechanisms to avoid such damage by suppressing their immune systems.

Their conservation

According to the IUCN, about 5 per cent of bats are categorised as endangered and another 11 per cent are data deficient.
Further, some species of fruit bats are categorised under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1973, along with other vermin species like rats, making it difficult to legally conserve them.