CEA’s Wildlife Conservation Efforts Through Bat Monitoring Program

The Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC) recently held a bat monitoring session at the Environmental Conservation and Education Center (CEA). The aim of this event was to gather scientific data, educate the local community about the ecological importance of bats, and promote the conservation of the island's biodiversity.

As part of the event, biologist Ricardo Peralta Muñoz delivered an informative talk to children, explaining the physical and morphological characteristics of the bat species found in Cozumel. The Conservation Youth group also assisted in setting up mist nets to capture, analyze, register, and release specimens of Micronycteris microtis and Glossophaga soricina bats.

The event provided attendees with an opportunity to learn about these flying mammals up close and dispel any fears they might have. Through question and answer sessions, the event was both educational and engaging, emphasizing the crucial role bats play in the ecosystem. Bats are vital for seed dispersal, flower pollination, and insect control. They are also considered key indicators of environmental health.

Rafael Chacón Díaz, the director of Environmental Conservation and Education, stressed the importance of bat conservation for preserving biodiversity. He noted that such activities support the scientific research conducted by specialists from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), including studies led by Jorge Ortega Reyes on the genetics of bat populations.

Juanita Alonso Marrufo, the general director of the FPMC, explained that these initiatives align with the New Agreement for the Well-being and Development of Quintana Roo, championed by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa. This agreement aims to spread and facilitate knowledge of nature, particularly among younger generations, to aid in its preservation. Marrufo emphasized the importance of community involvement in scientific endeavors and the protection of local flora and fauna, in both urban and jungle settings.