Buenaventura: an area of importance for protecting bats
Luis Baldez
Our Buenaventura Reserve has been certified as an Important Area for the Conservation of Bats (AICOM, in Spanish).
The Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Conservation of Bats (RELCOM, in Spanish) is an organization of researchers that describes these areas as "those that cover a sufficient surface area for populations of one or several species of bats to develop their vital processes in a way that guarantees their permanence over time." We have achieved this recognition in Buenaventura for harboring species under some threat category and as an ecosystem providing refuge for these flying mammals. In addition, for protecting patches of montane forests in areas where habitat loss is a big menace.
Jaime Salas, professor and researcher at Universidad de Guayaquil and member of the Ecuadorian Bat Conservation Program (PCME, in Spanish), proposed our reserve as an AICOM guided by the presence of two bats that feed mainly on fruit. Platyrrhinus matapalensis and Platyrrhinus albericoi are two species with special protection needs in Ecuador. Both find refuge in Buenaventura along with 18 other species of these flying mammals that have been recorded there. The fieldwork to obtain these data was carried out by Luis Baldez prior to obtaining his degree as a Biologist from the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Universidad de Guayaquil.
This important recognition is the starting point for carrying out more fieldwork, which is crucial for understanding better the diversity and behavior of bats in the area. Part of the responsibilities of being an AICOM is to increase research because surely the diversity of bats in Buenaventura is much greater than what we currently know.
Within the proposal, Jaime Salas also emphasizes the importance of conducting outreach and environmental education campaigns to sensitize local communities about the need to protect bats because of their enormous work in maintaining healthy forests.
