A rare albino bat was spotted in a cave in Negros Occidental weeks ago, according to a Facebook post by Danjugan Island.
“We were ecstatic when our head guide Ramram found an albino in our batcave a couple of weeks ago, and we’ve been spotting him/her since,” wrote in the post.
Danjugan Island is a place off the coast of Barangay Bulata in Cauayan, Negros Occidental. The Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI) has been doubling their efforts in keeping the island protected and safe as it is an important wildlife sanctuary in the Philippines.
“These cave nectar bats (Eonycteris spelaea) are ecologically important to the island’s ecosystems for seed dispersal and as bioindicators for a #SustainableFuture. The ‘white bat’ reminds us how special these mammals are!,” continued the post.
Cave nectar bats are grey-brown to medium grey in appearance. Colonies usually travel many kilometers at night to search for nectars or shrubs, as they are important pollinator of fruit trees, such as durian, according to Ecology Asia.
Though population of these bat species is stable at the moment, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a growing collaborative effort of administrative officials are continuous to protect bats in the Philippines.
