Bats (Order Chiroptera), like this bat from Madagascar’s eastern rainforests, are important contributors to their ecosystem. In Madagascar, insectivorous bats consume insects that are detrimental to rice crops, a staple of Malagasy cuisine. Meredith photo-caught this bat on her trail camera set up for her fieldwork in Madagascar (read more about her work in this field notes piece from 2020) .

[Photo and caption by Meredith Lutz]

Reference:

Kemp, J., López-Baucells, A., Rocha, R., Wangensteen, O. S., Andriatafika, Z., Nair, A., & Cabeza, M. (2019). Bats as potential suppressors of multiple agricultural pests: A case study from Madagascar. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, 269, 88-96.

[Edited by Maggie Creamer]