BYRON BAY 28°38’15.0”S 153°38’14.0”E
KATE NEWMAN as the world above settles into sleep, we wake. With the last rays of sunlight fading, the sky is ours, a canvas of dusk and stars. You might not notice us at first, our wings blend with the night, our movements swift and silent. But we are here, as we have been for millions of years, soaring and diving through the dark. We are the quiet guardians of your world, and tonight, like every night, we’re on a mission. You may think of us as creepy or strange, but we are far from the creatures of myths and nightmares. We are nature’s invisible caretakers, working while you rest, ensuring the balance of your world. As you sleep, we feast. Many of us indulge on the mosquitoes that bite you, on the insects that threaten the crops that grow your food. Each with wings spread wide, we collectively consume thousands of these pests in a single night, protecting your harvests and homes almost invisible to your senses. But we do more than just keep the bugs away. When we flit from flower to flower, we help pollinate plants that give life to the fruits you enjoy. Bananas, mangoes, and even the agave that makes your tequila. As we nibble on fruit in the treetops, we scatter seeds far and wide, helping forests grow and giving back to the earth that feeds us all, all in the shadows of night. Yet, despite everything we do, we remain misunderstood. You often don’t see us for what we are—vital components of the ecosystem we share, necessary, and deeply connected to your everyday life. But we, the bats, ask only this: that you look a little closer and remember that the night belongs not to fear but to the quiet heroes who protect you, your food, and your future, one flap of our wings at a time. The next time you see us above in the night sky, remember that we are not just creatures of the night, but helpers of the Earth. Our story begins millions of years ago, long before myths and misunderstandings shaped how you see us. Today, over 1,400 species of bats inhabit the world, making us the second most diverse order of mammals, right after rodents. From the massive wing- span of the flying fox to the small bumblebee bat that could fit in the palm of your hand, we are a family of extraordinary variety and adaptability. Our wings are one of nature’s most fascinating creations, we are the only mammal that can fly, but unlike birds, our wings are not feathers. We stretch our skin over extended finger bones. This unique structure gives us remarkable skills, allowing us to hover like a hummingbird, make sharp turns, or dive with precision. It’s no wonder that some of your most outstanding technological achievements, like sonar and drones, copied our skill set and yet you still can’t master our mode of flight. Many of us navigate our nocturnal world using echolocation, an advanced biological sonar system that outperforms your most sophisticated technologies. By creating high-pitched calls and listening to the returning echoes, we create a detailed mental map of our surroundings, “seeing” even the smallest prey in complete darkness. Each clicking sound is a reminder of the incredible creativity of evolution. As you read this, a bat is hard at work securing your morning coffee somewhere in the tropics. Like many other crops, the coffee plant depends on pollinators, and while bees are well-known for this role, bats play a crucial part, too, especially in regions where
39
MOTHER VOLUME FOUR
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease