SAVE THE MARIANA FRUIT BAT
There Are Many Natural Problems
Long Gestation Mariana Fruit Bats have one pup a year, and many young bats don’t survive due to Brown Tree Snake’s predation on them (Wiles, 2004). Because of the lack of pups, many populations of Mariana Fruit Bats can’t keep up their population, and thus can’t survive. Getting rid of the Brown Tree Snake absolutely must be a priority, or else these unique and fascinating bats will be destroyed before they can begin their helpful ecosystem services (Wiles, 2004).
Natural Disasters Finally, typhoons affect the Mariana Fruit Bat’s decline (Wiles, 2004). These disasters are rare, but unbelievably powerful. Did you know that one large typhoon could knock out the entire Mariana Fruit Bat population on an island? While these storms are unpreventable, it is important to remember that if the overall species population of the Mariana Fruit Bat can be raised, then they will have less chances of dying off in a monstrous disaster like a typhoon. Every 10 - 15 years, typhoons at winds over 155 mph hit Guam. After a serious one in 2002, multitudes of dead bats were found under trees, and the ones that didn’t die were starved because their fruit trees were destroyed in storms. After this large typhoon, there was a 70% decrease in Mariana Fruit Bat on Rota, one of the Mariana Islands (Wiles, 2004).
Non Native Species Are Devouring Them:
This bat’s decreasing population is our fault! Humans accidently introduced the non native Brown Tree Snake to Guam and the Mariana Islands, which devours the Mariana Fruit Bats as a main part of their diet. The Brown Tree Snake is the number one cause of the Mariana Fruit Bat’s endangerment, and it wouldn’t even exist on Guam if it was not accidentally introduced. The US military introduced this vicious predator during WWII, and the island has seen no reprieve from this monster since. They feed on young bats, and one local who killed a brown tree snake said there was three baby fruit bats in its stomach (Mariana, 2012). Additionally, on an observation of over 100 Mariana Fruit Bats, no juveniles were seen in all observations in their main breeding season (Mariana, 2012). This is due to the quick spread of this vicious non native, which killed the young bats off. The Brown Tree Snake produces quickly and spreads like wildfire, making its vicious attacks nearly unstoppable. Locals have expressed that one of the biggest predators on the island overall is the Brown Tree Snake, which is native to Australia and Papua New Guinea (Brown, 2014).
Can’t We Just Get Rid Of It? Well, no. Or not easily. Once a non native invades and settles, it is even harder to get rid of. This is because in general, non natives have no predators or anything otherwise to stop them from spreading. The Brown Tree Snake has no predators, and its prey is readily available (The Mariana Fruit Bat). Guam’s warm climate allows the Brown Tree Snake to reproduce all year round, which leads to a further abundance of these invasive predators. Finally, because Guam and the Mariana Islands are such remote landscapes, prey can’t escape the islands and these vicious predators have lots of accsess to destroy a helpless population (Draft, 2009). Click here to see how quickly the Brown Tree Snake has spread!
They Are Being Hunted Relentlessly
Did you know that many people of Guam eat the Mariana Fruit Bat whole, with fur, wings, and organs? A cooked Mariana Fruit Bat, also known as fanihi, is a delicacy on Guam and the Mariana Islands (About, 2012). Fanihi holds a large cultural significance, and these helpless and harmless bats are constantly threatened by horrifically sneaky hunters, even though overhunting is no longer the number one cause of endangerment. While it is illegal to hunt Mariana Fruit Bats because of their endangerment, poachers are still monitored infrequently, and many people on these islands still contribute to the near extinction of this extremely essential keystone species by eating this dish. To this day, the war on the Mariana Fruit Bat continues, even though they are small animals with huge economic and environmental benefits. So consider... thousands of bats providing fertilizer and speading seeds, vs. a meal for one. It's your choice.
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History of Hunting Fanihi is a delicacy in the native Chamorro culture, but even modern cookbooks list Fanihi recipes. Fanihi is made of bats boiled in coconut milk, spices, onions, and water, and the bat is eaten entirely whole. This is a case of over-exploitation of a species, in which there is little protection for this unique species (Draft, 2009).
What Role Guns Played In Hunting Centuries ago, Chamorros captured the Mariana Fruit Bat with slingshots and traps, and there was little impact on the bat’s population (Lemke, 1986). When guns were introduced to Guam, these helpless bats were devoured by citizens on holidays and for treats. By the 1970s, a bat business formed, and bats were sold cheap. Although it became illegal shortly afterward, there are still endless opportunities for illegal poaching, which leads to limited protection for this keystone species. Therefore, it is imperative that help is given to this species, because there endangerment is entirely preventable (Lemke, 1986).
Military Bases In Guam, Mariana Fruit Bats nest most frequently in native limestone forests, and prefer to roost in fig trees, where they raise their young and live peacefully (Mariana, 2012). They munch on papaya, breadfruit, figs, and other fruits and flowers that are located near their roosting sites. Unfortunately for the bats, Guam and the Northern Marianas are well used military bases for the United States. After WWII, humans once again played a large role in the decline of this bat by building cement bases over the native roosting sites, resulting in the loss of habitat (Mariana, 2012). With reckless use of authority, the US Military forced many helpless bats from their homes. Additionally, the military bases led to habitat fragmentation, which reduced the populations of these poor bats even more. Now, most of these cement bases are not protected, and are monitored and used by the US Military (Pacific, 2012).
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Agriculture Loss of native plants that are replaced by agriculture can significantly drop the health of Mariana Fruit Bats. These poor bats, just like humans, need a full load of nutrients to survive, and their native plants hold lots of nutrients. When the Mariana Fruit Bat’s food and roosting sites are lost, many soil nutrients are lost with the native plants. For example, Guam’s native trees have higher calcium content than what is found in the agricultural crops that are replacing the native trees (Draft, 2009).
Biodiversity Problems Additionally, Guam’s main agricultural crop is fruit. While Mariana Fruit Bats feed entirely on fruit, the fruits that are planted on a farm have much less variety in plants than native forests have. This is called lack of biodiversity, in which there is less nutrients and overall health in the plants and soil. This lack of biodiversity provides a harsh and inhospitable habitat for the defenseless Mariana Fruit Bat, and also leads to a worse overall health of Guam’s land (Draft, 2009).
Ungulates (Hooved Animals) As if these poor bats haven't seen enough of their homes destroyed, ungulates have caused much damage to plants and soil. By grazing, ungulates prevent forest regeneration and stop plants from growing before that bats can feed on their fruit. Additionally, the soil erosion leads to less plants that can serve as happy homes for this fruit bat in need of preservation (Draft, 2009).
Why Is This Species In Need Of Your Help?
HIPPCO is a common environmental term to describe the reasons for endangerment of a given species. Unfortunately, the Mariana Fruit Bat is affected by all of these effects, with the most prevalent problems being invasive species, habitat loss, and overexploitation. However, climate change, pollution, and overpopulation also affect the Mariana Fruit Bat, like they do to most species (Mariana, 2012).
H: Habitat destruction
I: Invasive Species
P: Pollution
P: Polulation control
C: Climate change
O: Overexploitation
Their Habitats Are Being Destroyed
