These endangered bats are being killed by the thousands—here’s why
Scientists are suing the Mauritius government to halt the culling of flying foxes. So far, 50,000 bats have been slaughtered.
Mauritius, a small island nation east of Madagascar, is known for its postcard-perfect beaches, warm hospitality, and cultural diversity. And it’s known for the dodo, the poster child for human-driven extinction. Mauritius has also lost more than 130 other lesser known plants and animals, from giant skinks to burrowing boas, since the island was colonized in 1638.
Now, another unique species, a fruit bat known as the Mauritian flying fox, is being pushed toward extinction. Since 2015, the government has killed more than 50,000 flying foxes, reducing the population of the endangered bats to likely fewer than 30,000.
Officials claim that culls are necessary to protect fruit growers’ crops. “They cause significant damage to the plantations,” Mahen Seeruttun, Mauritius’s minister of
