Thinking of caves, what first comes to mind are dark, cold and empty holes with rocky walls… not necessarily homey places. However, the multitude of life that can be found in caves is surprising. In Jamaica, the last 250 individuals of the Jamaican Flower Bat prefer to roost in “hot caves” with temperatures up to 37°C (ca. 100°F) during the day (BCI). They are very social animals and sleep together in large colonies that also include bats of other species (BCI). Not much is known about their behaviour, except that they are lovers of nectar, pollen and fruits, which makes them important pollinators (IUCN). 

Like the name already uncovers, Jamaican Flower Bats are only found in Jamaica. Due to mainly human impacts, the number of their home caves is down to only two. Furry wild cats that patrol the entrances of these caves make it difficult for the bats to get in and out safely. All these factors contribute to making them critically endangered species (IUCN). Bat Conservation International (BCI) is collaborating with Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency to come up with concrete plans for purchasing and protecting Stony Hill Cave, the location where the Jamaican Flower Bat was “rediscovered” after not having been seen for over 20 years (BCI). Apparently, taking a glance into a cave can prove to be very worthwhile!

Write up by Charlotte Walter

Bat Conservation International (BCI), https://www.batcon.org/article/back-from-the-brink/
IUCN, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/17173/22133396