Page 26 - World of Animals - Issue #29

Why save the panda?

Which species should we be saving?

By focusing on a select few species we are in danger of ignoring animals vital to our continued existence

The world’s

only true flying
mammals are in

serious danger

Bats help to shape the environments they live
in. This is especially true of fruit bats, which
feast on the fruits the rainforests have to offer
and then disperse the seeds far and wide
during flight. Insectivorous bats act as a natural

pest control and even the smallest bat species
in the UK can eat as many as 3,000 insects
per evening, hugely benefiting the agricultural

industry. While bats are a protected species in
the UK, conservation efforts further afield are

rather limited, and worldwide populations have
been steadily decreasing for some time.

Even the smallest bat
“Even the smallest bat
species can eat as many as
species can eat as many as
3,000 insects per evening”
3,000 insects per evening”

r
b
T
y
h
fl
t

u
less
e
e
s
The butterfly’s less
’
t

attractive cousins
attractive cousins
s
k
t r
e a
i
are at risk
are at risk
ar
e u
k
o
e
m
g
n
a
d
f t
s m
t e
o
Moths make up some of the most endangered
a
o
d
M M o t t h s m a k e u p s o m e o f t h h e m o s s t e n d a n n g e r r e e d
e o
e m
p s
h
s i
s i
n t
h
h
e w
e w
n t
o
r
K a
o
K a
d a
d a
n
r
n
d t
e U
d t
h
h
u
u
n
e U
n
o
o
r
c
p
. M
p
o
t
e
t
s
s
o
r
e
c
. M
e
i
d
s s species in the UK and around the world. Most
d
e
l
i
l
p e o p l e l i k e b u t t e r fl i e s b u t a r e m i l d l y h o r r i fi e d
people like butterflies but are mildly horrified
u
e a
y
y q
’
e
n
h
r
l
y m
d o
r a
i
b
h
c
s
i
u
o
i
m
t
by moths. They’re actually quite similar and our
t
e s
. T
u
t
l
a
l
a
r
o s
y b
l
r
m
p
s t
i
repulsion seems to simply be down to a
e
p
w
e d
n s
o a
l
e
m
o
o
i
n t
s
e
u
c
case of bad marketing. Not all moths
t
s
g
o
n
f b
h
t
i
. N
a
k
s
r
o
a
t a
l
a
e
e o
d m
l m
o
t
r
e
s a
h
e m
t n
g
y a
h
i
o
, a
d s
m
n
t
fly at night, and some moths are
fl

s
e
t
u
e

u

f
i
r
l
fl
r
t
c
o
an
bu
more colourful than butterflies. .
e
mor
h
t
l
o
On the whole, they are a hugely
O
h
l
l
n t
y
e
o
g
h
e w
y a
, t
r
h
e
u
e
e a h
i
f
m
important part of many
t
y
p
or
m
an
t
ar
t
o
an
p
g f
y
s
s
i
d f
o
n
c
d
s
, p
i
o
ecosystems, providing food for
v
r
o
m
e
o
r
t
e
o
s s
u
m
many other animals such as
h
e
m
h a
c
a
t
i
n
a
l
y o
r a
n
s
bats, birds and invertebrates.
bats, birds and invertebrates.
Unfortunately, moths have
Unfortunately, moths have
suffered widespread declines,
suffered widespread declines,
mainly due to agricultural practices
mainly due to agricultural practices
and climate change.
and climate change.
26