Domesticating
Fruit Bats
Yes
it can be done.
I
was interested in making the home garden “Birds Friendly’ but
never imagined a “Fruit Bat” would frequent the house at night.
They
are very secretive guys (?girl) and have very interesting habits
according to Prof. Wipula Yapa.
I
won’t summarize all of them here, lest nobody buys the book.
It
has interesting collection of photos, too.
Much
of their habits are far more superior to humans.
To
begin with they can live integrated with similar bats species in
caves in millions and settle in their own niche.
No
in fighting.
Imagine
three Ceylonese (apart from politicians, three or for local species
want to divide the country like an American Pie) at a cross point.
First
noise pollution.
Second
bickering.
Third
pollution ( I saw a guy urinating by the side of a main road).
This
list can be endless.
Bats
are social animals.
They
are tribal (different species) but can live in the same cave in
harmony.
No
noise pollution in spite of acute sense of hearing with sonar ability
similar to dolphins.
They
look after the family (mother, father and the pup) closely.
Imagine
a single child family in Ceylon, what a difference?
They
reforest what is left over for the elephants to roam.
Our
frequenter comes for fruits (one) and honey (three) in flowers.
Same
attributes of birds but beat them in style in the darkness.
Can
catch a mosquito in total darkness.
They
clear up insects that hover round the lights but leave some pellets
underneath for us to clear.
I had
the wrong impression that they cause fungal disease histoplasmosis.
Histoplasmosis
is not a zoonotic disease.
The
fungus grows on the dropping left.
Do
not go and disturb the caves and inhale histoplasmosis spores.
It is
difficult to treat.
Bats
do not cause diseases or suck blood.
They
are part and parcel of our forest.
