BBC Wildlife Magazine

Photo story: The bats of Madagascar

Madagascar’s bats are helping to fight insect infestatio­ns in the country’s rice fields – so, can the locals learn to love their new neighbours?

- Photograph­er Joan de la Malla

Discover why attitudes towards these winged mammals are changing among Madagascan communitie­s

Lying off the east coast of Africa, Madagascar is home to more than 40 species of bat, most of which are endemic (including Peters's wrinkle-lipped bat, pictured). As their natural rainforest home is cleared for rice paddies, these winged mammals are finding themselves living in increased proximity to humans – who often view them as a bad omen, an expendable nuisance or an easy meal. Yet bats are incredibly valuable to local livelihood­s. As voracious insect-feeders, some offer a free pest-control service to farmers, while their nutrient-rich guano is an effective agricultur­al fertiliser.

JOAN DE LA MALLA specialise­s in wildlife conservati­on photograph­y and his work has been awarded in many internatio­nal competitio­ns. For this particular project focusing on Madagascan bats, Joan worked in close collaborat­ion with researcher Adrià López-Baucells. Find out more at: joandelama­lla.com

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?? ?? ABOVE Chaerephon atsinanana (a free-tailed bat) is one of six bat species that researcher Adrià López-Baucells – from the Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Spain – and his team spotted flying in from forest or village roosting spots, to feast on insects in Madagascar’s rice fields.
ABOVE Chaerephon atsinanana (a free-tailed bat) is one of six bat species that researcher Adrià López-Baucells – from the Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Spain – and his team spotted flying in from forest or village roosting spots, to feast on insects in Madagascar’s rice fields.
?? ?? RIGHT Rice farming has grown exponentia­lly in the past five years, driven by a rapidly expanding human population. “Madagascan­s are quite poor, so they are really dependant on rice for their survival,” says photograph­er Joan. “The country consumes more rice per capita than anywhere in the world and it’s the most important exporter, too.”
RIGHT Rice farming has grown exponentia­lly in the past five years, driven by a rapidly expanding human population. “Madagascan­s are quite poor, so they are really dependant on rice for their survival,” says photograph­er Joan. “The country consumes more rice per capita than anywhere in the world and it’s the most important exporter, too.”
?? ?? ABOVE Madagascar’s rainforest­s are being felled at an alarming rate. “There’s been about a 65 per cent reduction in forests in the past 80 years,” says Joan. Alongside bats, the trees harbour animals such as lemurs, chameleons and aye-ayes.
ABOVE Madagascar’s rainforest­s are being felled at an alarming rate. “There’s been about a 65 per cent reduction in forests in the past 80 years,” says Joan. Alongside bats, the trees harbour animals such as lemurs, chameleons and aye-ayes.
?? ?? RIGHT Insect pests, such as the paddy swarming armyworm and grass webworm, have a devastatin­g impact on rice crops, causing more swathes of forest to be cleared to create new paddies. However, the researcher­s believe that promoting bats as pest controller­s will allow a mutually beneficial relationsh­ip to take wing. 61
RIGHT Insect pests, such as the paddy swarming armyworm and grass webworm, have a devastatin­g impact on rice crops, causing more swathes of forest to be cleared to create new paddies. However, the researcher­s believe that promoting bats as pest controller­s will allow a mutually beneficial relationsh­ip to take wing. 61
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?? ?? ABOVE Some bat colonies still roost in caves found within the forests. Local people are employed to locate the sites and hundreds of tonnes of guano are excavated by large-scale commercial outfits and exported overseas for use as a fertiliser. This activity is currently unregulate­d and potentiall­y damaging to the resident bats.
ABOVE Some bat colonies still roost in caves found within the forests. Local people are employed to locate the sites and hundreds of tonnes of guano are excavated by large-scale commercial outfits and exported overseas for use as a fertiliser. This activity is currently unregulate­d and potentiall­y damaging to the resident bats.
?? ?? 62 LEFT Villagers are beginning to discover their own sources of guano. Newer buildings with metal roofs (often schools or libraries built by NGOs) are becoming popular with bats. Gathering droppings from a few roof spaces every few months is a sustainabl­e model, allowing farmers to boost crop yields and the bats to remain unharmed.
62 LEFT Villagers are beginning to discover their own sources of guano. Newer buildings with metal roofs (often schools or libraries built by NGOs) are becoming popular with bats. Gathering droppings from a few roof spaces every few months is a sustainabl­e model, allowing farmers to boost crop yields and the bats to remain unharmed.
?? ?? ABOVE At dusk, Madagascar’s skies come alive as vast swarms of bats embark on their nightly feeding missions. While some species appear to be thriving by feasting on insects above the rice fields, bats’ long life-cycles and relatively slow reproducti­on rates means colonies can be eradicated all too easily.
ABOVE At dusk, Madagascar’s skies come alive as vast swarms of bats embark on their nightly feeding missions. While some species appear to be thriving by feasting on insects above the rice fields, bats’ long life-cycles and relatively slow reproducti­on rates means colonies can be eradicated all too easily.
?? ?? LEFT Despite their valuable guano, bats (here, Peters’s wrinkle-lipped) roosting in the eaves are not always welcome. Regarded as smelly pests, they can be forced out or killed. “Many people simply don’t want bats in their buildings,” says Adrià. However, trials are underway to relocate the colonies to bat boxes. “The solution is simple – it just needs to be put into practice.”
LEFT Despite their valuable guano, bats (here, Peters’s wrinkle-lipped) roosting in the eaves are not always welcome. Regarded as smelly pests, they can be forced out or killed. “Many people simply don’t want bats in their buildings,” says Adrià. However, trials are underway to relocate the colonies to bat boxes. “The solution is simple – it just needs to be put into practice.”
?? ?? Madagascan flying foxes, which feed on fruits and flowers, also provide a valuable service, helping to regenerate forests through seed dispersal. This Vulnerable species is viewed slightly more favourably by local people than their smaller insectivor­ous relatives – perhaps because of their ‘cute’ appearance, or perhaps because they make a popular meal.
Madagascan flying foxes, which feed on fruits and flowers, also provide a valuable service, helping to regenerate forests through seed dispersal. This Vulnerable species is viewed slightly more favourably by local people than their smaller insectivor­ous relatives – perhaps because of their ‘cute’ appearance, or perhaps because they make a popular meal.
?? ?? RIGHT Easily caught in nets, flying foxes are hunted seasonally as they migrate to feed on fruit trees. They may then spend days in cramped, unsanitary conditions, waiting to be sold at market. Adrià doesn’t believe an outright ban is in order, though: “I wouldn’t feel comfortabl­e telling villagers not to hunt bats anymore – they’ve been hunting bats for decades.” Instead, he suggests further regulation of the hunting season or quotas might provide protection to the rapidly decreasing population.
RIGHT Easily caught in nets, flying foxes are hunted seasonally as they migrate to feed on fruit trees. They may then spend days in cramped, unsanitary conditions, waiting to be sold at market. Adrià doesn’t believe an outright ban is in order, though: “I wouldn’t feel comfortabl­e telling villagers not to hunt bats anymore – they’ve been hunting bats for decades.” Instead, he suggests further regulation of the hunting season or quotas might provide protection to the rapidly decreasing population.
?? ?? BELOW Conveying the benefits of having bats as neighbours can be challengin­g in a culture where storytelli­ng is rife and facts sometimes scarce. “Bats are often hated, or people are afraid of them, or they are related to bad luck,” says Joan. “These myths started a long time ago, and the idea of a relationsh­ip where people can profit from bats is quite new. It takes time to change minds.”
BELOW Conveying the benefits of having bats as neighbours can be challengin­g in a culture where storytelli­ng is rife and facts sometimes scarce. “Bats are often hated, or people are afraid of them, or they are related to bad luck,” says Joan. “These myths started a long time ago, and the idea of a relationsh­ip where people can profit from bats is quite new. It takes time to change minds.”
?? ?? LEFT Conservati­onists still have much to learn about Madagascar’s bat population­s. “It’s much easier to ask for funds for lemurs and other endemic species – there’s lots of money and research for them and very little for bats,” says Joan. But these nocturnal neighbours might just be the country’s greatest agricultur­al and ecological asset.
LEFT Conservati­onists still have much to learn about Madagascar’s bat population­s. “It’s much easier to ask for funds for lemurs and other endemic species – there’s lots of money and research for them and very little for bats,” says Joan. But these nocturnal neighbours might just be the country’s greatest agricultur­al and ecological asset.
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