Silent Guardians of Bengaluru: Why We Need to Protect Our City’s Bats

They say “blind as a bat,” but the truth is, bats see the world in ways we don’t. When Bengaluru’s traffic quiets and the city exhales, the sky belongs to them. Often misunderstood and unfairly linked to darkness and fear, and even vampires, bats are far from the monsters they’re made out to be. In reality, they play a vital role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem and help humans in many ways. 

Let’s dig deeper to learn more about these fascinating creatures and why they deserve our protection.

There are over 1,400 species of bats in the world, and India is home to many of them. The most common ones are fruit bats and insect-eating bats. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, feed on fruits like guava, mango, and banana. They help spread seeds and pollinate plants. Insect-eating bats, on the other hand, feed on mosquitoes and other bugs acting as natural pest controllers.

Bats make their homes in trees, caves, old buildings, and even under bridges. During the day, they hang upside down to rest, and when night falls, they come out to hunt or feed.

Sadly, many bats are losing their homes due to growing cities and pollution. In Bengaluru, PfA Wildlife Rescue & Conservation Centre has already rescued over 653 bats of 7 different species  trapped or injured in urban areas. 

The Night Gardeners

Bats might not make the headlines, but without them, Bengaluru’s green soul would suffer.
Every night, they pollinate flowering trees, help forests around regenerate, and control the mosquito populations that thrive near our lakes and gardens.

Think of them as the city’s invisible pest controllers - one bat can gulp down hundreds of mosquitoes in an hour, keeping diseases and pesticides at bay.     

They also help plants like banana, guava, and mango thrive, fruits that fill Bengaluru’s markets and homes. Without bats, our city would quite literally lose some of its sweetness.

The Myths That Hurt

Still, bats carry an unfair reputation. Many people see them as creepy, unlucky, or even dangerous but that’s pure myth.

• Bats don’t attack humans or suck blood; only a rare variety of bats feed on blood and they prefer cattle over humans. 

• Bats aren’t blind, most of them have a good eyesight and in-fact some have excellent night vision

• Not all bats hang upside down. We usually have a picture of bats hanging upside down, but not all of them , some sleep on branches, leaves on flat surfaces instead, this shows how adaptable bats are to different environments 

• Bats don’t bring bad luck.In fact, they’re clean, intelligent, and shy. And while most of us are asleep, they’re hard at work maintaining the balance of Bengaluru’s ecosystem.

So when people panic and destroy bat roosts out of fear, it’s not just cruel- it’s ecological harm.

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Why Bengaluru’s Bats Are Disappearing

Our once-green city has changed.
Tall glass towers now stand where trees once sheltered roosts. Streetlights blaze through the night, confusing bats’ natural flight paths. And pesticide use around gardens and farmland has poisoned the very insects they rely on for food.

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Be a ‘Bat’ ambassador  

Here’s how Bengalureans can help bring the night back to life:

• Avoid pesticides. Let bats handle the bugs for free.

• During festivals, be mindful of using crackers and manja threads - loud sounds, bright lights, smoky air and sharp strings can harm or disturb bats and other birds.

• Support local rescue efforts. Organizations like PfA Bengaluru are doing crucial work - donate or volunteer if you can.
  
  

• Replace fear with facts. Talk about why bats matter in schools, in housing communities, in your WhatsApp groups.
  
  

• Reduce light pollution. Switch off unnecessary lights at night.

These small actions can give bats a chance to thrive and in turn, keep our skies, trees, and air healthier.

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