On this International Bat Night, Rainforest Trust would like to celebrate our work with National Trust of Fiji and Bat Conservation International. In July 2018, we created the first ever bat sanctuary in Fiji by officially protecting over 20 acres of land near the Nakanacagi Cave, which is home to the only known maternity colony of the Endangered Fijian Free-tailed Bat on Earth. 

The conservation of this species is particularly important because they operate as pollinators to local flora on the island. Because their main source of nutrition in insects, they search plants to find food and, in turn, cover themselves in pollen and spread it around the island. This role is vital in maintaining the delicate balance of Fiji’s biodiversity.

This purchase was the first critical step in the permanent protection of Fijian Free-tailed Bats. Within the next five years, an additional 30 acres will be secured to create the Nakanacagi Cave Reserve. The formal reserve will safeguard the entire cave system and surrounding habitat for this unique species to thrive.

 

Header image: Fijian Free-tailed Bats. Photo by Shawn Thomas, International Bat Sanctuary.