Bees and birds are among the top prospects that come to mind when we think of pollinators. Bats rarely receive the same recognition. But several species are vital pollinators that contribute to the reproduction of agave plants, which are used to make tequila.
In the past, the lesser long-nosed bat saw a frightful decline in population numbers. According to Bat Conservation International, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the bat species as endangered in 1988.
Three decades of dedicated conservation efforts between biologists and volunteers in the U.S. and Mexico steadily brought the population numbers back up.
These efforts included limiting human access to roost site caves where bats live and educating the public to improve bat species identification. Prior to this, the public had targeted the lesser long-nosed bat. People had mistakenly grouped the long-nosed bat with bats that carry dangerous diseases.
Arming the public with clearer information helped change public attitudes towards the lesser long-nosed bat, ushering in its gradual recovery.
Once believed to number fewer than 1,000 individuals, the lesser long-nosed bat has now rebounded to over 200,000 individuals throughout its range. It lives throughout the southern United States, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, per Bat Conservation International.
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In April 2018, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed this bat species from the U.S. endangered species list.
While this bat species has made an incredible recovery, other bat species and baby bats are struggling to survive. The greater, or Mexican long-nosed bat species, has experienced a population decline of over 50% over the past two decades, according to the BBC.
Agave harvesting practices have removed agave stalks before bats have the chance to pollinate them. That combined with deforestation have made it difficult for the greater long-nosed bat to thrive.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, annual estimations of the population size of the greater long-nosed bat range from zero to 10,650 individuals. That's only a fraction of the current population size of the once-endangered lesser long-nosed bat.
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Definitely 👍 Conservationists encourage agave farmers to farm in a way that is sustainable for both business and bats.
The Bat Friendly Project partners with agave farmers, mezcal and tequila producers, and other key stakeholders to implement practices that protect nectar-feeding bats. For example, participating farmers agree to allow at least 5% of their agave crops to mature and flower, allowing bats to feed and pollinate.
With more widespread bat education and a concerted effort by local farmers, tequila producers, and conservation scientists, the greater long-nosed bat may have a chance to recover as the lesser long-nosed bat did.
The incredible conservation story of the lesser long-nosed bat "stands as testimony that dedicated efforts and sound management practices can lead to recovery of endangered species," said Jim DeVos, Assistant Director at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, in a statement, per Food Manufacturing.
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