BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines – Environmental advocates seek the protection of “flying foxes” in Boracay Island.
“Flying foxes,” a type of fruit bat native to the Philippines, are responsible for 90 percent of reforestation in Boracay Island and northern Panay, experts said. The “flying foxes” can fly up to a distance of 40 kilometers at night to look for food and spread the seeds on the ground.
They are just one of the species of large-eyed fruit-eating or flower-feeding bats that can be found in the country. The golden crown fruit bats or flying foxes are among the endangered species in the world and are found only in the Philippines.
The current rehabilitation and improvements in Boracay Island, specifically in Barangay Yapak, are disturbing their habitat.
For this reason, the group “Friends of Flying Foxes in Boracay” wants environmental authorities to declare their habitat as “critical.”
“The bats have only one baby. They are mammals so they get affected by weather conditions and have a harder time surviving because during bad weather they stay in the forest and hide in there. So if the forest is smaller they are more affected,” said the group’s president Julia Lervik.
The group argued that from 2,997 flying foxes in 2016, the animals’ population has been reduced to only 1,600 this year. From this number, only about 16% are golden crowned fruit bats.
The group is now coordinating with concerned agencies to act on the protection of the flying foxes not only for the purposes of tourism but also for preservation of their species for the benefit of generations to come.
“The tourist and the people come to Boracay because of this beautiful nature we have and it’s in all our interest to take care of it for our children and grandchildren but for all of us to live in a more healthy environment,” Lervik concluded. – Vincent Arboleda / Marje Pelayo
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