Bats of Miag-ao
The bat population count survey for the year 2024 was conducted last November 28 in coordination with the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) – Miagao staff. The team was also accompanied by UP Visayas 4th year BS Computer Science students for documentation.
This year, there are only thirty-seven (37) individual trees left being roosted by the island flying foxes, with still fifteen (15) species. There was a 9.76% decline in the number of their roosting sites and there was no change in the number of species recorded, compared to last year’s data.
The same visual method was used and based on the count last September 2021, there were forty-six (46) individual trees recorded, with fourteen (14) species. This year, there are only twenty-seven (27) individual trees left being roosted by the island flying foxes, with only eleven (11) species left. There was a 41.30% decline in the number of their roosting sites and a 21.43% decrease in the number of species recorded, compared to last year’s data.
Just after you arrive at the center of the municipality, you will notice the strong smell of bat urine, not to mention the screeching sounds these bats make. But give it at least ten minutes, and you’ll just get used to the smell, like what the locals have become after decades of coexisting with bats in Miagao. Read more… >>>