Scientist calls for the protection of bats

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) - A Research Scientist of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) in Kumasi, has expressed grave concern about the "chasing out, molestation and killing of strawberry coloured fruit bats," or 'Eidolon Helvum', from trees around the 37 Military Hospital.

He said the mammals should rather be protected due to their immense importance in forest ecosystems and their role in maintaining biological diversity. He said the bats, which accounts for about 98 percent of seed dispersion under forest clearing in modern era when forestation has become a global phenomenon should not be seen as a nuisance to the persecuted but ecologically pivoted species needing dire protection.

Bright Obeng-Kankam, the research scientist, made the call in an interview with the GNA in Kumasi on Thursday. He maintained that the bats played an integral role in tropical forest succession, distribution and community composition by dispersing, pollinating seeds of many tropical tree species such as Odum, Shea Butter, Kapok, Baobab and Okisibiri.

Besides, herbalists believe that the bats, which served as important protein sources for some people in the country, could cure infertility in women. Obeng-Kankam said the species are also important in medical research when studying such problems as experimental hypothermia, survival in extreme environments and different topics of comparative anatomy, embryology histology and cytology among others.

Relating his own research on the bats at the 37 Military Hospital in 1997, which brought out some interesting revelations, the research scientist said the colonisation of the bats at the hospital could be traced as far back as 13 September 1973 when the then Okyenhene, the late Nana Ofori Atta II died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and was sent to the 37 Military Hospital mortuary.

"Mystically, a few hundreds of the fruit bats were seen squabbling and shrieking on two matured mahogany trees at Ward Six and Bandoh Ward, which were very close to the mortuary."

The bats were believed to have migrated from the Kibi palace, a place called 'Baamu' where a fruit bat colony roost was found the next morning, and it was said that the bats colony at the palace decreased considerably about the same time and this has led to the 37 Military Hospital becoming a permanent dwelling place for the animals, he held.