VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Indiana State transformed their science building into a bat exhibit on Saturday, with booths from Hoosier National Forest, bat experts, an immersive cave, and live creatures.
With all things bat-themed, the goal is to show how important bats are to our environment.
“Bats eat mosquitos and crop pests too which damage our crops. bats eat those kinds of insects, are doing a great service to us. Saving us billions of dollars in pesticides usage and also saving lives too by eating all those mosquitos,” said Sharon Peterson, Bat Educator with Incredible Bats from Chicago.
Two Indiana State students stopped in to see what the festival was all about
and shared their favorite thing that they learned.
“Some bat species can live up to 30 years and then others have short lifespans of not even 10 years so, it’s pretty cool,” said ISU student, Justin Balewin.
“They’re very small, very small with their wingspan, 5 feet. It’s crazy,” said ISU student, Aneila Shappard.
One bat expert, Sharon Peterson, featured a male African Straw-Colored Fruit Bat, that they call Togo.
“This particular bat is the most common bat in Africa, and it also makes the largest mammal migration on the planet. Every December they travel from all over the continent of Africa, and they go the Kasanka National Forest in Zambia Africa, which is central Africa, and that’s their breeding grounds,” said Peterson.
Not only are these bats the largest mammal migration, but also are the largest seed dispersal effort, which is what these bats are most known for. According to Peterson, 95 percent of the rainforests around the world are reforested by bats and she hopes this education will inspire people to be more interested in conservation.
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