Scientists are tricking wild bats into helping combat a growing crisis: 'We have the theory that this can work'

Researchers in Costa Rica may have found a novel and cost-effective way to help revive rainforests in Central and Latin America.

The project involved luring fruit bats into depleted areas by using synthetic smells to mimic their main food sources.

Lays Parolin, an ecologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, told Mongabay: "We have the theory that this can work, but there are still a lot of things we need to test in order [to] make this bat attraction method more robust."

The pilot scheme follows the example of another experiment carried out in Brazil using essential oils.

Bats have a very keen sense of smell. The idea is that because bats locate food by smell, they can be drawn into areas of the rainforest where they're needed. As they seek out food, their seed-loaded feces will spread across the area. The bat's droppings contain a natural fertilizer, making for a less intrusive, less labor-intensive way of restoring the rainforest. As Vox noted, massive tree-planting campaigns come with downsides, and many fail.

The research comes at a time when depleting rainforest levels are reaching a crisis point. As the Rainforest Foundation pointed out, in Central America, between 2002 and 2023, rainforests the equivalent size of Massachusetts were lost. The situation is equally troubling in the Amazon, where 17% of rainforests have been lost and another 17% degraded, per the World Wildlife Fund.

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Clearing forests for cattle ranching, logging, and palm oil has contributed to the crisis. The importance of rainforests can scarcely be overstated. They are home to a vast number of species and absorb huge amounts of carbon to stabilize the climate.

As the scientists who worked on the experiments were quick to point out, the research is still very much in the early stages. It could form part of a multi-faceted approach to the critical work of maintaining and restoring rainforests. Additionally, the experiments could have other useful applications.

Mariana Gelambi, study lead author and Virginia Tech postdoctoral researcher, told Mongabay: "By purchasing these [synthetic] molecules, researchers can attract bats to study their communities or address other ecological questions."

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