Over 100 Bats Spotted Flying Across Yishun; Could Have Meant Something Happened Earlier

If you were to look up at the sky and see a colony of bats, you’d probably think the world was ending or Batman was coming to save a helpless man from a mugging.

But if they were flying over Yishun, well, it’d just be another day in Yishun.

Over 100 Bats Spotted Flying Across Yishun

More than 100 flying foxes were spotted soaring over the cursed town of Yishun on the morning of 5 June.

The flying fox, which is one of the largest bats in the world, is native to Singapore and was last seen in 2016 in the MacRitchie area.

However, only 6 of these creatures were spotted in 2016.

According to Dr Benjamin Lee, director of wildlife management research at the National Parks Board, this sighting of more than 100 bats is “unprecedented in Singapore in recent times.”

So, why have they come out all of a sudden?

In Search Of Food or New Habitat

Flying foxes are migratory, meaning they have a large home range and move frequently across international borders, pretty much the opposite of Singaporeans right now.

Dr Lee said that they’ve been known to travel several hundreds of kilometres between roosting sites (a place where a bat lives), and their home range includes southern Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and Sumatra in Indonesia.

As to why such a large group was seen flying in the Singapore skies on 5 June, Dr Lee said it could be to search for food or because their habitat was destroyed.

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Why You Shouldn’t Hate Bats

Bats often inspire fear because of their nocturnal habits and association with mythical creatures like the vampire.

Plus, some believe that bats spread zoonotic viruses like Covid-19 to humans, so they’re not exactly our favourite animal at the moment.

But these little creatures actually play an important role in the environment.

According to The Straits Times, fruit bats are pollinators and seed dispersers, which helps to regenerate forests, ensuring their survival.

Moreover, if you like durian or petai, you should probably thank bats because they aid in the pollination of these plants.

Insectivorous bats also help to keep the insect population in check by feeding on mosquitoes, beetles, and crickets, Dr Lee said.

No one wants more mosquitoes around, right?

“By feeding on insects, they also help to support agriculture, as they reduce the damage the insects cause to crops, as well as decrease the need for pesticides.”

Don’t Feed Bats

I know your impression of bats immediately changed when I said they’re one of the reasons we have durian in life, but if you happen to come across one, do not attempt to feed them or get close to them.

Bats are generally shy but may show aggression if someone tries to handle them.

Sounds like many Singaporeans during the circuit breaker.