VOC Park, a safe haven for bats

If you happen to take a stroll at VOC Park, you would be astonished by the number of bats hanging upside down from the trees. At night, they descend and fly around the locality. But don’t fret as bats have no interest in attacking human beings. “Movies have portrayed these flying foxes in a negative light but bats do not harm human beings,” says city-based environmentalist K Mohan Raj.“The bats at VOC Park are the fruit-eating ones and they have been here for decades.”
Gautham S, a Tiruppur-based youngster, who has been visiting the park from his childhood, says that the bats at VOC Park were an interesting sight when he visited the zoo premises nearby. “I saw these bats when I was just 7 years old. Today, I am 23 and I am glad they are still around.”
Environmentalist R Mohammad Saleem says that VOC Park and Prison Grounds are the prime habitats of bats in Coimbatore city. “The fruit-eating bats travel long distances in search of food. They leave their homes at night and come back before daybreak to roost. A female bat usually delivers only one pup in an entire year. The pup clings on to the mother until it learns to fly. An average fruit-eating bat lives between 15 and 20 years.”
Why did bats choose to be the residents of VOC Park? “Bats look for places where there is no trouble. They find it safe there as they are undisturbed,” says Mohanraj. Saleem states if the trees at VOC Park were to be chopped, that would affect bats in a big way. Summer is a tough time for the bats as they cannot cool themselves. They lose their energy and many lose their lives, too. It’s important to protect their homes.”
Environmentalists state that fruit eating bats play a crucial role in pollination. “Just like birds, bats also help in dispersing seeds. They play a critical role in taking the seeds of plants and tress to other places,” says Mohanraj. Saleem adds that since they travel long distances, their droppings can help in seed dispersal. “They are good agents of seed transfer.”
While the common perception is that bats are pests, the truth is just the opposite. “Bats play a vital role in keeping insects and pest population under control. They reduce the need for using pesticides and are farmer-friendly. At night, you can see them catching mosquitoes. This helps keep diseases at bay. They play a crucial role in the eco-system,” says Mohan Raj.