There is a **[colony of bats](https://noticiasambientales.com/compromiso-ambiental/los-murcielagos-seres-profundamente-incomprendidos-pero-claves-en-los-ecosistemas/)** at the Law Faculty of the National University of Rosario (**UNR**). What’s incredible is that this is not a recent event, but they have been living there **for about 100 years**.
Experts from the university and the **Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Rosario** (**IBR-Conicet**) are in charge of monitoring and protecting this population. They are essential for controlling pests in the area.
Colony of bats at the faculty: what happens at the University of Rosario
Thousands of bats of the species **Tadarida brasiliensis** arrive in Rosario, a wild animal about **10 centimeters long, weighing between 14 and 16 grams**, with an average lifespan **between 10 and 20 years**.
The bats of Rosario.
These specimens can fly **up to 25 kilometers to forage** and reach heights of 3300 meters. Their flight is fast and direct, and when migrating, they can cover up to **1840 kilometers**.
It was discovered some time ago that a colony inhabits the faculty building, located in the attic. For nearly 10 years, the University has been carrying out a program for the **preservation of the bat population**.
It is known that between November and February they occupy the place, where they arrived a century ago. They **feed on insects** (pregnant females can eat up to **1000 mosquitoes per day**), making them **key for pest control**.
“They are in the attic of the Law Faculty because they can,” explained the doctoral fellow at IBR-Conicet, **Violeta Di Doménica**, to *La Capital*.
“The truth is that the specific reason is unknown, but they have been in the building for over 100 years. Their arrival coincides with a period when it was abandoned, and the attic has **comfortable and functional features**, for example, the exposed bricks provide better grip,” added **Guido Fossatti Tanner**, coordinator of the Ubat.UNR Program.
“There are also insects for their food, it is a dark place, and people do not pass through regularly,” he emphasized.
The number of these animals in Rosario is being studied by the **Bat Conservation Program of Argentina** (**PCMA**). According to the same source, around 2015, the last census counted about **30 thousand animals**.
Attic maintenance
The importance of bats.
The same team takes care of all the details, as they described. “This species of bats have one offspring every 12 months and, unlike rodents, they do not ‘demographically explode,'” stated Di Doménica.
The researchers also pointed out that, although they **can transmit rabies**, the chances of infecting a person are low. In addition to biting, they must be infected. Moreover, **these mammals are not naturally aggressive**.
On the other hand, the same team takes care of removing the **bat feces, known as “guano”** each season.
“It is cleaned, removed, and the attic is **waterproofed** so that the bats return next summer and so that the **Law community has sanitary conditions**,” explained Fossatti Tanner. **The material can be used as a fertilizer if sterilized and filtered.**
Myths about bats: misunderstood, yet key in ecosystems
The bad reputation that accompanies bats, combined with misinformation, has led to some characteristics being exaggerated, only highlighting their potential danger.
Bats and their centrality in the ecosystem.
However, they are one of the most diverse groups of mammals, with up to 1000 species, and more than 300 are in South America. Some essential characteristics:
– **They are pollinators**: hundreds of plant species depend on bats to spread their pollen, including fruit trees like mango or banana.
– **They disperse seeds** and help forest development: those with a frugivorous diet, after feeding on fruits, **carry the seeds in their bodies** while digesting them and excrete them elsewhere, contributing to dispersion.
– **Pest control**: insect-eating bats are voracious hunters, consuming tons of insects per year.
– **Biodiversity indicators**: due to their significant role in food webs and their sensitivity to environmental changes, bats can provide information about the state of different habitats they inhabit and the species they are related to.
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