Bats are some of our planet’s most important, fascinating, but misunderstood creatures. Whether as pollinators, seed dispersers, or pest controllers, they play an essential role in maintaining healthy ecosystems worldwide – without them, we’d struggle to put food on our plates. Yet, thanks to myths and misconceptions, bats remain the stuff of nightmares for many. So, this International Bat Appreciation Day (celebrated on 17 April), let’s shine a light on some of these unsung, largely unseen protectors of our planet.
Bat facts and stats
First, let’s nip that Dracula nonsense in the bud. Of the 1,400+ species of bats, there are just three ‘true’ (and small) vampire bats, which feed off small amounts of blood taken almost entirely from livestock or chickens. The bats are found only in Central and South America, and reports of humans being bitten are extremely rare…so you can sleep easy. Of the rest, a dozen prey on small animals, with the remainder either frugivores or voracious insectivores. Bats play a huge part in controlling agricultural pests and mosquitoes. Even the tiny common pipistrelle bat can gobble over 3,000 bugs in one night!
The only mammal capable of true flight (regardless of what flying squirrels would have you believe), bats have existed for over 50 million years. Today, they account for roughly 20% of all classified mammals and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Bats range in size from the giant golden-crowned flying fox, with a wingspan exceeding five feet, to the Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, aka the ‘bumblebee bat’. At just two grams, it’s the world’s smallest mammal by weight.
The largest mammal migration on Earth
Africa is home to over 200 bat species, but one of its largest and most commonplace fruit bats is the African straw-coloured fruit bat. Found across sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula, these highly social bats form vast colonies. But nowhere do they gather in greater numbers than Zambia‘s Kasanka National Park.
Each year, from mid-October to late December, more than 10 million straw-coloured fruit bats descend upon Kasanka’s swamp forest. Officially the largest mammal migration on Earth, incredibly, the event is still growing. Last year’s epic gathering saw numbers nearly twice those experienced previously.
Research has shown these bats undertake the longest migration of any African mammal, but exactly why remains uncertain. It’s not for breeding: most females arrive pregnant or nursing young. Some studies suggest that the bats follow seasonal fruit resources across the landscape. But while food is plentiful in Kasanka (the bats are especially partial to the local loquat and waterberries), other well-stocked larders are available, and less of an arduous trek!
Bat migration in Kasanka National Park, Zambia. Image credit: Wasa Lodge
Bat migration in Kasanka National Park, Zambia. Image credit: Wasa Lodge
Bat migration in Kasanka National Park, Zambia. Image credit: Wasa Lodge
Bat migration in Kasanka National Park, Zambia. Image credit: Wasa Lodge
Nature’s secret gardeners
Whatever the cause, the migration is vital for Africa’s ecosystems. By the season’s end, Kasanka’s forest appears battered, but far from damaging the region, the bats are crucial to its regeneration. Each night, they travel up to 50 kilometres from their roost, covering over 500,000 hectares in search of food. During the annual pilgrimage, the bats scatter seeds in their fertiliser-like guano across thousands of kilometres – helping to restore forests and reconnect fragmented landscapes in ways no other species can.
Hildegarde’s Tomb Bat: A species on the brink
A small insectivorous bat endemic to Kenya and Tanzania, Hildegarde’s tomb bat numbers have plummeted alarmingly. The Tanzanian population is now so poorly documented that researchers only have historical records to go by. In Kenya, the only significant colonies – thought to represent about 70% of the remaining population – are found in three coastal caves: the Three Sister Caves in Fikirini (near Shimoni) and the Koboga and Makuruhu caves in Watamu.
Kenyan bat biologist Dr Paul Webala has monitored these caves for years. Having noted a steady population decline, he alerted Bat Conservation International (BCI). Together, they are working to develop effective conservation actions for the species. Hildegarde’s tomb bats depend on specific cave conditions, making them highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Human encroachment and nearby coastal development threaten the bats’ habitat; if the cave’s microclimate or surrounding feeding grounds are disrupted, the bats will have nowhere to go.
Dr Isabella Mandl releases Hildegarde’s tomb bat in Kenya. Image credit Bat Conservation International / Horizonline Pictures
Dr. Isabella Mandl holds a Miniopterus, Kenya.
Multiple bat species fly in Makuruhu Cave. Image credit Bat Conservation International / Horizonline Pictures
American sheath-tailed bat hang in cave, Kenya. Image credit Bat Conservation International / Horizonline Pictures
Saving bats through community conservation
For BCI, protecting the bats hinges on community-based efforts: collaboration is essential, given the caves lie on private or community-owned land. In Fikirini, BCI is partnering with the Tswaka community to establish a conservation zone around the Three Sister Caves and explore low-impact, responsible ecotourism opportunities. In Watamu, fundraising has enabled BCI to save Kaboga Cave from developers by buying it and transferring ownership to its Kenyan conservation partner Angaza Vijiji. Now, efforts are focused on protecting Makuruhu Cave, which remains on community land. Meanwhile, local villagers are being helped to establish tree nurseries to reforest the surrounding landscape. These buffer zones enhance bat habitats while creating income opportunities through tree seedling sales.
By empowering communities, BCI is creating long-term solutions that benefit both bats and people – ensuring the Hildegarde’s tomb bat has a future on Kenya’s coast.
Watch Bat Conservation International in action
How you can help bats
Bats are exceptional bioindicators: declining populations indicate an ecosystem in peril. Yet, despite all the good bats do, over 200 species, including Hildegarde’s tomb bat, are threatened with extinction. A world without bats is a world out of balance – but without urgent action, we’ll lose more species at an alarming rate.
So, let’s give these astonishing animals the help they deserve before it’s too late. By supporting bat conservation initiatives, advocating for habitat protection, and encouraging responsible tourism practices that minimise disturbance to roosts, we can all do our part. And unless you’re in Antarctica, why not put up a bat box at home and welcome bats into your night sky?
Want to see the Kasanka bat migration for yourself? Explore Expert Africa’s Fruit Bat Safari in Zambia, or chat to one of our specialiasts to find out more.
