As the sun sets over the rolling hills of Babanango Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, a remarkable shift takes place. While the diurnal creatures settle in for the night, the dark skies come alive with the silent flight of bats hunting for food. Often misunderstood and overlooked, bats are now receiving the recognition they deserve, thanks in part to some groundbreaking research being conducted right here at Babanango Game Reserve.
Bat Research at Babanango Game Reserve
Recently, Dr Anna Bastian, Buyisile Makhubo, and Zirve Gadsby from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) embarked on a research expedition to Babanango Game Reserve as part of an ongoing PhD project. Their focus has been on exploring the fascinating world of bats, their ecological roles, and their significance in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Babanango Game Reserve, with its varied habitats of grassland, thicket, riverine forest, and escarpment, is the perfect environment to study bats in all their ecological diversity. During their recent three-night field expedition, Dr Bastian and her team explored different habitats across the reserve to maximise their chances of documenting bat diversity.
Key Findings from Bat Species Research at Babanango
At Babanango, the researchers confirmed seven different bat species within just three nights – an impressive number that reflects our reserve’s rich biodiversity. While the species list is still being finalised – and will be updated on the website – researchers noted bats from the following families residing at Babanango:
- Slit-faced bats (Nycteridae)
- Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae)
- Free-tailed bats (Molossidae)
- Vesper bats (Vespertilionidae)
- Leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae)
This incredible diversity allowed the researchers to delve deeply into understanding how bats are evolving to survive.
Echolocation Call Types
Dr Bastian explains that understanding the echolocation call types and wing shapes of bats provides valuable clues about different species’ hunting styles and ecological roles. Some species have long, narrow wings, suited for high-speed flight in open areas, while others have shorter, broader wings that allow for agile manoeuvring through dense vegetation.
These physical traits, combined with call structure, show the ‘resource partitioning’ that allows many species to share a single habitat without direct competition.
Coevolution of Bats and Moths
One of the most intriguing findings of the team’s bat research at Babanango is the ultrahigh-frequency echolocation calls in certain bat species. These calls have a reduced detection range – sometimes less than 4m – posing an evolutionary puzzle: Why would bats evolve traits that seem to be a disadvantage?
The working theory is that they’re not! Rather, there’s a ‘coevolutionary arms race’ between moths and their arch-enemy: the bat.
It seems that some moths have evolved ears capable of detecting bat calls, giving them a chance to evade this predator. In response, bats may have adapted by increasing the frequency of their calls beyond the hearing range of moths. This back-and-forth adaptation has led to the remarkable diversity of echolocation strategies found in bats today.
At Babanango, the team found a high number of bat species using these ultrahigh-frequency calls, suggesting an active evolutionary battle between predator and prey. This discovery highlights the reserve’s importance as a living laboratory for cutting-edge evolutionary biology research.
Babanango Game Reserve: A Sanctuary for Biodiversity
The presence of a diverse and healthy bat population is a clear indicator of our reserve’s commitment to conservation. Once a patchwork of degraded farmland, Babanango has been transformed into a thriving 20,000-hectare nature reserve, offering sanctuary not only to bats but also to many iconic wildlife species.
Our approach to sustainable tourism, community empowerment, and habitat restoration makes Babanango a shining example of conservation success. The reserve’s rehabilitation of natural ecosystems, including alien plant removal and indigenous reforestation projects, has created an ideal environment for large game – as well as the small, often unseen animals like bats that are so crucial to our ecosystem health.
Fast Facts About Bat Species
Bats are incredibly interesting and ecologically significant mammals, however, superstition and myths abound, creating an unnecessary fear of these interesting animals. Here are some fast facts to reveal just how wonderful they are:!
- Bats are diverse: Bats hold the impressive title of the second-largest group of mammalian species globally, with over 2,300 species recorded worldwide and around 65 species in South Africa. Their diversity is astonishing, and their almost worldwide distribution highlights just how successful they are as a group.
- Bats are flying mammals: Bats are the only true flying mammals, with wings formed by a skin membrane stretched over their elongated fingers.
- Bats are unique: Despite the vast number of species, bats often go unnoticed, hidden in plain sight due to their nocturnal lifestyle. This unique adaptation has allowed them to fill ecological niches unavailable to diurnal species like birds, leading to an explosion in species richness.
- Bats eat fruit or insects: At night, bats dominate the skies, particularly as major predators of insects. While South Africa boasts several species of frugivorous bats which also eat nectar, leaves and pollen; the insectivorous species vastly outnumber their fruit-eating counterparts, feasting on everything from mosquitoes and moths to scorpions.
- Bats are insect repellents: One insect-eating bat can consume up to 1 200 mosquitos in an hour, offering a natural form of pest control.
- Bats are vital to ecosystems: Together, frugivorous and insectivorous bats play important roles in maintaining ecosystems. They disperse seeds, pollinate flowering plants, and help manage insect populations – offering essential services that benefit biodiversity and human agriculture alike.
- Bats have longevity: Some bats can live for up to 30 years, which is an extraordinarily long lifespan for such small mammals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bats
It’s time to debunk some myths about bats – those fast-flying creatures of the night.!
Are bats good or bad to have around?
Bats are excellent to have around! They control pests, pollinate plants, and disperse seeds for the growth of fruiting plants such as bananas and mangoes. Their presence indicates a healthy ecosystem, and they help reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
Are bats a danger to humans?
Bats are not inherently dangerous. They are shy and avoid human contact. While bats can carry diseases like rabies, the risk is extremely low if they are left undisturbed. It’s important to appreciate them from a distance and avoid handling them.
Are bats afraid of light?
Bats aren’t afraid of light, but they do prefer darkness. They’ve evolved to forage and navigate at night. Bright lights can disrupt their behaviour, which is why conservation-friendly lighting is important in areas where bats live.
Are bats blind?
Contrary to the saying ‘blind as a bat’, bats are generally not blind at all. In fact, it’s believed they have quite keen eyesight. The misconception that bats are blind comes from their nocturnal nature and enhanced hearing abilities.
Visit Babanango Game Reserve and Discover Different Bat Species
There’s so much more to wildlife than what meets the eye on one of our typical safaris! At Babanango, you’ll have the chance to explore the hidden world of bats, encounter African wildlife in its natural habitat, and experience the thrill of South Africa’s wilderness in ways you couldn’t imagine!
The popular Coppermine Tour at Babanango – just 10 minutes from Valley Lodge – is a great way to witness the fascinating Leafnose and Horseshoe bats in their natural habitat. The tour also sheds light on the story behind the elusive ‘fool’s gold’ and the relentless pursuit of one geologist’s search for copper in this historically significant and ecologically unique site.
Book your stay at Babanango Game Reserve today and be part of this incredible conservation journey.
