Significance of Bats on OAU Campus

Bats are known to be the only mammals that can fly, but they are often overlooked and misunderstood. Many myths are associated with bats, such as the saying “blind as a bat.”. This isn’t true. Bats can see quite well. Unlike destructive pets like rats and mice, bats benefit their environment. They play a crucial role in keeping ecosystems healthy.

A colony of bats could cut down on unwanted mosquitoes. The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) campus in Ile-Ife, is uniquely known for being a niche for bats. Obafemi Awolowo University is the campus with the highest population of bats in Nigeria. Rarely will you walk around OAU without seeing a bat. They can be seen almost everywhere on the OAU campus.

It is even an offense to kill bats on the OAU campus, as demonstrated by a legal case in 2020 where a man was charged with killing a bat with a catapult without seeking permission from the school authority. While some may view them with apprehension, they are useful creatures, and they play an important role in keeping a healthy ecosystem on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University. Understanding their importance will shed light on their vital contributions to the campus environment:

1. Pest Control:
Bats are voracious insectivores, consuming large quantities of insects every night. On the OAU campus, where lush vegetation and greenery abound, bats play a crucial role in controlling insect populations. They help keep mosquito, moth, and beetle populations in check, reducing the need for chemical pesticides and contributing to a balanced ecosystem.

2. Pollination:
In addition to consuming insects, some bat species are important pollinators. They play a role in pollinating night-blooming flowers, including those found on trees and shrubs across the OAU campus. By transferring pollen from one plant to another, bats facilitate the reproduction of various plant species, ensuring the health and diversity of the campus flora.

3. Seed Dispersal:
Bats are key players in seed dispersal, particularly for plants with fruits or seeds that are consumed and later dispersed by bats. As bats feed on fruits such as figs, guavas, and bananas, they inadvertently disperse seeds across the OAU campus landscape through their droppings. This helps in the regeneration of plant species and contributes to the overall biodiversity of the campus environment at Obafemi Awolowo University.

4. Educational Value:
Bats provide an invaluable opportunity for educational outreach and research on the OAU campus. Students and researchers have the chance to study bat behavior, ecology, and conservation biology firsthand. By engaging with these nocturnal creatures, students gain a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of species and the importance of biodiversity conservation.

5. Malaria Reduction: Bats play a crucial role in controlling mosquitoes, thereby reducing the prevalence of malaria on the OAU campus. A colony of bats could cut down on unwanted mosquitoes in the environment they live in.