Bats' crucial role in our food supply under threat
A new report highlights how bats, essential for the production of many popular foods and drinks, face increasing dangers.
Whitney Bauck reports for the Guardian.
In short:
- Bats contribute significantly to human food systems by pollinating crops like avocados and agave and controlling pests.
- The increasing demand for agave-based spirits like mezcal in the US is threatening the survival of agave plants and their bat pollinators.
- Conservation efforts, such as planting agave along bats' migratory paths and educating farmers about the benefits of bats, are crucial for their survival.
Key quote:
“It’s a big problem for agaves endemic to Mexico, and for the bats and all the biodiversity around the ecosystems where the agaves grow.”
— Diana Pinzón, forestry engineer who works with small-scale mezcal producers
Why this matters:
Bats, often misunderstood creatures of the night, play an indispensable role in ecosystems around the world as well as in agriculture. These nocturnal mammals serve as pollinators, pest controllers and seed dispersers, making them critical to the health of many environments.
Joe Roman argues that we need to change how we relate to wildlife, putting their health, and our own, before commercial interests.
