Bats endangered by construction activities
18 Jun, 2009, 10:42 (GMT -04:00)


KRALENDIJK — The increase of the tourism, tourists, and luxurious house-constructions is threatening the existence of the bats living in the caves on Bonaire. There are less than 500 bats left of the three or four species on the island. The colonies are also disturbed, as people visit the caves more frequently.

Anna Rojer of the scientific institute for Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (Carmabi) on Curaçao stated this in a report from 2008. STINAPA Bonaire is very shocked about the results and sounds the alarm. Caves and bats require urgent protection.

Most of the different species of bats live in the area of Barcadera and Columbia. This is also, where the spectral bat lives, a species, which is only found here. A large colony of long-billed bats appears to have been chased from the area. The rare infundibular bat -also living in this area- is nearly extinct on Bonaire. In cave territories, such as Barcadera, Santa Barbara, Columbia, and Lima, there are construction plans where people more or less disregard the bats. By protecting the caves and the broad surrounding area, the bat population of Bonaire could perhaps still be saved. Carmabi promised to support STINAPA by drawing up a control plan. Because of the caves, the territory in Barkadera was declared a protected nature reserve in 1991.

Unfortunately, the government terminated this protection in 2005 to cultivate the land. STINAPA pleads for protection of this area again, before it’s too late. Another area in Columbia with many caves and bats and destined as nature reserve, is also being threatened by cultivation.

Warm outdoor enclosure
Many tropical bat species require caves as outdoor enclosure. This is where they drop their young ones as well. Not every cave is suitable for bats. Most of the bats have specific demands. For example, it is known that the spectral bats (Mormoops megalophylla) and the long-billed bats (Leptonycteris curasoae) only want to live in very warm caves. It is therefore incorrect to assume that bats will find another cave after they’ve been chased out.

Wiped out
The rare bats, ‘Natalus tumidirostris’ demand a lot of their habitat. There are only 110 to 150 of these bats still living on Bonaire. A large colony used to live in a cave in Sabadeco until it caved in due to house-construction. The bats are not only threatened when their habitat is destroyed.
On Curaçao, an entire colony of spectral bats was wiped out when construction started just a few hundred meters away. The bats probably fled because of the vibrations, noise, or clearance of the territory. The long-billed bat is now only found in one (1) cave on Bonaire. Just by entering the cave, this could lead to a massive death of this specie when it has young ones. Due to the disturbance, the young ones fall on the ground and starve to death.

Essential
Bats are the only endemic mammals on Bonaire. All species found on Bonaire, are endemic subspecies. This means that they are only found here on the Leeward Islands, and nowhere else in the world. They are very essential for humans and nature, as they catch mosquitoes and pollinate cactuses. The long-tough bat (Glossophaga elongate), and the long-billed bat are nectar eating bats and powder the blooming flowers of pillar cactuses during the night. This is how the fruits come into being, which provides the food for birds and reptiles during the dry season. These bats are also essential for the parthenogenesis of pillar cactuses.

this totally bummed me out. The reefs, the bats, what next?

Way too much construction on island, way too much. Hope the island can find a way to balance it out soon.

•••• 'Carmabi promised to support STINAPA by drawing up a control plan. Because of the caves, the territory in Barkadera was declared a protected nature reserve in 1991.

Unfortunately, the government terminated this protection in 2005 to cultivate the land" ••••


The government already has Curacao and Aruba to mess up. Why does it need Bonaire also?

I used to love watching the bats on my porch. They would swoop a few inches above us as dusk fell.

This is very sad news. To those of you who haven't been here in a while, the construction is really bad. I am totally amazed by this. The only area that they seem to do things in a timely fashion is construction. I'm amazed at how much has been started and finished over the last year. I'm even more stunned by how much more has been started and is on track to completion. I see them working 7 days a week. Very sad. The ecosystem cannot handle this.

it is not the locals that have created this out of control market..most of this construction is waaay beyond the majority's financial means...

Pietri, I dont' think anyone said it was the locals that were the problem...

It depends how you describe 'locals'.

Planning permission and land sales are all sanctioned by the local Government.

You can bet your ass that there are plenty in power who are making a pretty penny.

Just check out how many people is a position of power own homes abroad.

Susan, so I guess my bottom line question is this: Is there anything we can do to help?

•••• "Susan, so I guess my bottom line question is this: Is there anything we can do to help?" ••••


Help or fight? Bonaire did this to itself. I'm not sure they want help. The more I read on this website the more it seems that the environmental needs on Bonaire may need to be fought for, not achieved through "help".

eddie please stop testing our "BAD WORD" software... and please stop questioning others statements ... they are entitled to their opinion..

It's not a software test. I can't find the quote tags in formatting.

I wasn't questioning R.A.'s statement. I was applauding it and taking it a step further. Please don't be offended by the term "fight" it's just a word.

the red dots indicate that language that is not appropriate for this site is being used.. to format a quote use this \quote{the quote you want}. if you are indeed not using inappropriate language please pm me at modfreddie@bonairetalk.com
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