XVIII. Bats, Biodiversity and Ecological knowledge

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The Iraya live on the island of Mindoro, Philippines. After the Covid-19 outbreak, when bats and palm civets were accused to be at the origin of the pandemic, they reacted with doubt, like many Indigenous people in Asia. The Iraya coexist with bats (adas) and palm civets (musang) for a long time. This paper explains how their cosmology connects predation to compensation maintaining  symbiotic/mutualistic relationships with all the beings living around them. Despite Christianization, master spirits continue to play a structuring role and a series of prohibitions are perpetuated with them. Iraya argue that bats and palm civets do not represent a threat as long as they are respected as a prey, as well as their biota. They are valued for the various services they provide to humans, and their meat and substances are used for medicinal purposes.

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Based on ethnographic research in northern Sulawesi, this paper examines the inter-species dynamics between a Minahasan ancestral memory revivalist group and small fruit bats in the identification of ancestral burial sites within deep forest caves. Guided by hunters, revivalist researchers locate cavities by tracking bats that cohabit with ancestors' Tombs—banned by the Colonial Dutch government after a cholera outbreak in the 1820s. In this paper, I question the ways bats, humans and their dead have been coexisting in these spaces, highlighting how caves and underground areas serve as both ecological habitats and hidden spaces of cultural memory across different periods. By exploring these relationships, I emphasize the value of local knowledge and the socio-ecological system where bats are a key partner in this restoration and conservation project.

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As umbrella species and pollinators, bats are essential in preserving ecosystems and biodiversity. Despite their importance, five of the six species recorded in Fiji are considered endangered or vulnerable. Causes are manyfold. Invasive cats, mongoose and plants are one of the targeted problems. Furthermore, human’s interventions such as the hunting and consumption of bats, timber industries, guano mining or tourist incursions are other established reasons. This paper captures the challenges at play concerning relationships between bats and (non)-humans in Fiji. By conducting a multi-site ethnography, this research questions how interspecies relationships are intertwined with contemporary and global issues. It focuses on empirical work conducted among iTaukei populations in Lau, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu islands and examines how the knowledge and involvement of local and indigenous communities are paramount to understand how diversities of cosmologies, transmission of practices and interspecies challenges play a key role against the current ecological crises.

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Coming from the depths of the sea to reach the heights of the trees where the flying foxes lives, cyclones are part of the landscape in Vanuatu. Cyclones cause serious casualties amongst the flying foxes communities and their environments. While waiting for food supplies coming by boat, the fragilized flying foxes of the islands become easy food for the locals whose gardens have been destroyed. Flying fox’s meat is considered locally the best meat available. As a result, the equation in which the Ni-Vanuatu are involved is a complex mix of their own survival, those of the flying foxes and the government scheduled periods of hunting. The Ni-Vanuatu know well the importance of the flying foxes and they are credited for planting fruit trees that the locals are not planting themselves. This article aims to show the complexity of this situation and how the Ni-Vanuatu people understand and practice ecology.

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Taiwan is home to over thirty species of bats. During my fieldwork across different parts of the island—ranging from a tourist bat cave to NGO-led conservation sites—I observed the intricate relationships between bats, humans, and insects. Through participant observation, this presentation delves into how human interactions and management practices shape these dynamics. It highlights the impacts of pesticide use on bat populations and their role as natural pest controllers. Field observations also reveal a growing governmental interest in using bat boxes in agricultural areas as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides. In Chinese and Taiwanese culture, the bat, known as "bienfu" (福), symbolizes luck and prosperity. Often depicted in temple decorations and seamlessly integrated into urban architecture, bats hold both ecological and cultural significance. This presentation aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of bats as cultural icons and key players in Taiwan’s biodiversity.

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Madagascar has been experiencing deforestation since the early colonial period, leading to severe impact on its unique and endemic biodiversity. Many species, most particularly bats, lemurs, and some birds, are facing the threat of extinction and are classified as vulnerable. In response, various governmental and non-governmental organizations have been established across the country to mitigate the human-animal interactions that are considered harmful for the ecosystem and promote sustainable environmental practices. Frequently, this involves restricting local populations' access to areas of animal cohabitation, excluding them from forests on which they may rely for their livelihoods and to which they may attach significant cultural and spiritual meanings. This article seeks to examine indigenous environmental knowledge concerning harmonious coexistence, species interdependence, and conservation practices. It further aims to highlight how such knowledge is considered in both international and national policies directed at preserving Madagascar's fragile ecosystems.