Filmmaker Josh Aitchison spent three weeks in a tree documenting the migration of 10 million straw-colored fruit bats.
The fruit bats in the world’s largest migration. (Video: BBC).
Aitchison traveled to Kasanka National Park in Zambia to film the largest mammal migration in the world for the BBC’s Mammals program. His footage offers rare glimpses of the spectacular annual gathering of fruit bats from across Africa, according to IFL Science. “No one knows exactly why they fly so far, why they all come here, or why this specific place. It has to do with the type of trees, the coolness of the forest, the water sources in the wetlands, and certainly an abundance of food,” Aitchison said.
The role of bats in pollinating plants, controlling insect populations, contributing to nutrient cycling through their droppings, and dispersing seeds across open lands is crucial for the surrounding ecosystem’s survival. Every year, from October to December, 10 million straw-colored fruit bats gather in a lush forest with wetlands in Kasanka National Park. Traveling from all over Africa, these bats journey thousands of kilometers to freshwater habitats filled with fruits, berries, and flowers during one of the world’s largest migrations.
Despite their enormous numbers, the population of fruit bats has decreased by 25-30% over the past 15 years.
However, deforestation and land degradation in the areas surrounding Kasanka National Park for agriculture and mining threaten the natural resources that support the bats’ migration. Despite their massive scale, the population of fruit bats has declined by 25-30% over the past 15 years, primarily due to hunting for meat across their distribution areas in West and Central Africa. Protecting these essential resources will ensure that the forest continues to serve as an important feeding ground for fruit bats during their great migration.
Millions of fruit bats flock to Kasanka National Park each year, providing a vital food source for Martial eagles and various other predators such as snakes, leopards, and crocodiles. As seed dispersers, bats provide essential services to the local and regional ecosystem by aiding in plant growth. The large amounts of droppings they produce also serve as fertilizer for the forest. Therefore, protecting fruit bats is an urgent issue due to their importance in the food chain.
