BACOLOD, Philippines – In a country frequently ravaged by typhoons, one city in Negros Occidental sees flying foxes as a natural warning system for impending natural disasters.
For many people in Sagay City, safeguarding the flying foxes not only aids in disaster preparedness but also reinforces the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
Sagay boasts a lush 500-hectare mangrove forest that spans the villages of Old Sagay, Bulanon, and Taba-ao. Within the green expanse lies a designated sanctuary for flying foxes, identified as a threatened species by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (PhilBio).
The sanctuary, known as the Bulanon-Old Sagay-Taba-ao Greenbelt Mangrove Area, shelters about 14,400 flying foxes, revered as the city’s natural allies. In Sagay, their existence is woven into the fabric of the city’s ecology, and their presence is more than just a conservation success – it is a lifeline.
In recent years, flying foxes have come to symbolize resilience for Sagay’s communities facing the growing impacts of climate change. There, the bats’ behavior is seen to be sensitive to changes in the environment, making them an unwitting early warning system for locals.
But while flying foxes may show behaviors indicative of upcoming environmental changes, there has not yet been sufficient scientific research to confirm that they can reliably serve as an early warning system for natural disasters.
On Suyac Island in Taba-ao, the bats are more than conservation subjects – they are “brothers and sisters” to residents, who credit them with saving lives when Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck in November 2013.
Helen Arguelles, Sagay’s tourism and information officer, recalled that the flying foxes showed unusual behavior that alerted and prompted islanders to prepare even before disaster struck that year.
Their heightened agitation prompted islanders to evacuate to safer grounds in the Sagay mainland. Interestingly, not a single life was lost in Suyac.
Their beloved friends saved them, said Arguelles, reflecting on the bond between the islanders and the flying foxes.
Since then, Sagay City has designated Suyac and the surrounding greenbelt as official bat sanctuaries.
Errol Gatumbato, PhilBio president, said unusual animal behavior is seen to signal impending natural disturbances.
However, relying on such signs as a primary warning system should be approached with caution. While wildlife can provide clues to environmental changes, they are not substitutes for science-based monitoring.
Across Negros Occidental, an estimated 35,400 flying foxes find refuge, including those in the Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary in Murcia.
As the Provincial Wildlife celebrations continue from October 28 to December 5, attention focuses on the flying foxes – particularly the golden-crowned species, which play crucial roles as pollinators and seed dispersers for native plants.
The bats also help restore forests, maintain biodiversity and foster resilience against erosion and natural disasters, explained Maria Elena San Jose of the Provincial Environment and Management Office.
Sagay’s residents enforce strict guidelines to ensure their nocturnal neighbors are not disturbed.
“They want peace,” Arguelles said, noting that drone use, kayaking, and daytime disturbances are prohibited.
Mambukal similarly restricts noise and other activities that might disrupt the bats, showing the respect Sagaynons have cultivated for their “nocturnal beauties.” – Rappler.com