A new species of bat has been discovered in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, bringing the total number of bat species in the area to 20.

The discovery was made as part of the "Ecology, Conservation and Diversity of Bats of Cozumel" program, which is run by the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC) in collaboration with Rodrigo Medellín from the Institute of Ecology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The newly discovered species is a frugivorous bat known as the hairy big-eyed bat (Chiroderma Villosum).

The significance of this discovery has been acknowledged by the scientific community and will be published in the esteemed Mexican journal of mammalogy, Therya Notes. This recognition highlights the importance of bat conservation and their habitat, emphasizing the essential role these flying mammals play in providing vital environmental services for the wellbeing of humanity.

The Director of FPMC, Alejandro Marchán Payán, praised the diligent work of Cozumel researchers Noel Rivas Camo and Paulina Sabido Villanueva from the institution's Conservation and Environmental Education (CEA) department. Their efforts were supported in the field by natural resources handler Antonio Chale and biologist Ricardo Peralta, who both played a key role in the success of this research.

Biologist Noel Rivas stated that this discovery strengthens Cozumel's status as one of the Caribbean islands with the greatest diversity of bats. He noted that in 2020, the FPMC reported the presence of the bat Phyllops Falcatus, native to the Antilles. The possibility of more undiscovered species was not dismissed, a prediction that has proven accurate with this latest find.

Rivas Camo and Sabido Villanueva expressed their gratitude to the general director of the FPMC for supporting their ongoing research on the various species of flora and fauna in Cozumel. Some of these species are unique to the area and their findings are shared with study units at both national and international levels.