By: Mariel Trejo
The Sustainable Development Agenda from the United Nations has greatly helped the modernization of homes in underdeveloped areas. A couple of goals are for the sustainable use of ecosystems and to build sustainable communities. In any part of the African continent, free-tailed bats can be commonly found, but they are known to be carriers of diseases, like the coronavirus. Through the modernization of homes in parts of Southern Kenya, these bats have found new artificial roosting spots. Lunn and her team’s goal of their study was to figure out which type of homes were susceptible to bat occupations. Their methods consisted of observation and evidence of bat occupation, and homeowner reports of bat presence. Their study found that homes with a modern-style build had a higher chance of bat occupation than traditional styles. Modern-style infrastructure, like beams, provided an ideal roosting environment than common traditional thatched-roofs. Additionally, triangular roof types were more likely to be occupied than flat roofs. This study highlights sustainable development of homes, however, alteration to physical ecosystems could affect the behavior of animals. While this study focused on the potential human health risks, this could also influence bat populations, either through growth because of increased roosting sites or declination through pest control measures. When looking at sustainable solutions, it is important to account for all species and their roles in providing ecosystem services.
Lunn TJ, Jackson RT, Webala PW, Ogola JG, Forbes KM. 2024. Modern building structures are a landscape-level driver of bat-human risk exposure risk in Kenya. Front Ecol Environ. 1(1).
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