Earth Today | Demystifying bats

THE NATURAL History Museum of Jamaica, in partnership with Bat Conservation International and the National Environment and Planning Agency, has created ‘Guardians of the Night: Celebrating the Wonderful World of Bats’, an informative and educational exhibition that demystifies the intriguing world of bats.

It features interactive displays, informative panels, and a video on conservation efforts, showcasing the significant contributions these often-misunderstood creatures make to Jamaica’s ecosystem. This exhibition, which runs up to the end of the year, is a valuable resource for anyone interested in wildlife and biodiversity, leaving them feeling enlightened and knowledgeable.

Using simple and straightforward language, the text panels focus on dispelling myths that will leave audiences with a deeper understanding and appreciation of these nocturnal animals, commonly referred to as ‘ratbats’ in Jamaica, due to their perceived resemblance to rats and their night-time habits.

It is typical for Jamaicans to call moths bats, and although I knew better, my understanding of bats was limited to the occasional sightings of what seemed like mice with wings. This exhibition has completely changed my perception. My closest encounter with these critters dates back to the 1960s. I vividly recall encountering swarms of bats emerging from under the eaves of a house, their squeaks echoing like baby birds in a nest as the late evening light changed to dusk.

Viewing enlarged images of bats in the exhibit evokes thoughts of other animals, and their names are just as intriguing. In addition to individual scientific identities, common names such as the greater bulldog bat, which, of course, resembles a bulldog, the flower bat corresponds to a pig, and the Black-bearded bat has the likeness of a cow. At a glance, Pilla’s long-tongued bats resemble a rhinoceros.

The amazing experience provided by ‘The Wonderful World of Bats’ spans a wide range of informative facts that offer greater insight than I had previously experienced. The details are priceless and profound. For example, ‘there are over 1,400 species of bats currently described around the world, with more being found every day, and ‘Jamaica is home to 21 species across six families, including four found nowhere else on earth’.

The popular saying ‘you’re as blind as a bat’ is debunked, as you’ll learn that bats are not blind. In fact, ‘on the contrary, some bats have better sight than humans and use their eyes to help orient themselves and find food like fruits and flowers’, the exhibition reveals. Bats are pollinators, seed dispersers and insect controllers thus rendering them important contributors to agriculture. This exhibition is truly effective and will surely leave viewers intrigued and fascinated, opening a whole new world of understanding and appreciation for these creatures.

A bat presentation would be incomplete without conjuring bats and vampires. And, yes, it’s all here. While the portrayal of vampires comprises the sucking of human blood, we learned that there are indeed vampire bats, but they do not feed on human blood. Scientifically known as Desmodusrotundus, it is found in Central and South America, feeds on the blood of other animals, mainly livestock, and is commonly referred to as the Mexican vampire bat.

They are one of three exclusively hematophagous bat species (blood-feeders). Rest assured, they feed on the blood of other animals, not humans. For double assurance, there are no vampire bats in Jamaica. This exhibition will leave you feeling reassured and confident in your knowledge about Jamaican bats.

More than just a display, Guardians of the Night: Celebrating the Wonderful World of Bats! is an educational journey that will leave viewers feeling more appreciative of the value of bats to our lives and the wider ecosystem.

So the next time you think of bats, put Count Dracula and vampires aside and consider these nocturnal flying mammals as genuine protectors of nature’s habitat.

Herbie Miller is director, Jamaica Music Museum.