Bats at Reserva Playa Tortuga

Picture this: you're a fruit bat in Costa Rica, hanging from the holes in the center of leaves from a invasive banana tree. At night, you fly though the air, searching for insects and delicioso fruit.

The scientific name for the bat we saw.

This week, our Scouts group had the chance to visit and learn about some of the native bats in this region. After we hiked through the rainforest, we discovered how bats help the ecosystem by pollinating flowers,
spreading seeds, and controlling insect populations.

One surprising fact was that banana trees are actually not native to this part of Costa Rica! These trees, brought by humans, create new habitats for some bat species, but they can also compete with native plants.

The bats have white stripes down their face and sleep in a curled way.

On the way, we could hear many animals, like toucans and monkeys.

The bats find naturally made holes in banana trees to hang from. Bats are smart and take advantage of nature's resources.

During our visit, we saw bats up close, observed them in many ways, and learned how the biologists here study them. It was an amazing experience to gain a deeper appreciation for them and their role in keeping a healthy environment.

One thing that was really interesting was that we found 11 bats in one spot, the most that the guide/biologist had seen at one time. 

The bats eat a range of fruits and insects- I'm glad they eat mosquitoes- we can't escape the countless bites we have!

This was definitely one of the experiences on the trip that wasn't a negative Pura Vida.

¡Gracias!

-Devon

Us working on our blog posts.
Left- Stephen
Middle- Rika
Right- Devon