Let’s talk about bats: a conversation with Yogishah Bunsy, the Mauritian Ambassador of Global South Bats Network.
Quick summary
- Global South Bats is a newly launched non-governmental organisation (NGO) that aims at promoting bat research and conservation in the Southern Hemisphere, where a large diversity of bats is found, many of which we know very little about.
- Yogishah Bunsy, better known as Ashmi, is a young, emerging bat ecologist who has been working with a local NGO for research and conservation of Mauritian bats and she is now the ambassador of the Global South Bats Network.
- Nature Yetu had a conversation with the dedicated and passionate Ashmi to learn more about the Global South Bats and her experience as a representative of the organisation.
The following interview has been edited and curated for clarity and length.
Yogishah, can you tell us how the idea of creating the Global South Bats came to be?
The Global South Bats (GSB) was created to connect and empower bat conservation allies in biodiversity hotspots where locally-led research and wildlife protection are most needed. The idea of creating this network germinated in the brilliant minds of its founders: Profs. Rodrigo Medellín (Mexico) and Paul Webala (Kenya). They envisioned a platform where members could share knowledge, cross-pollinate ideas and establish real life collaborations towards bat conservation in the Southern Hemisphere, a bat diversity hotspot that undoubtedly bears the brunt of global climate change, biodiversity loss and unprecedented species extinction. The region also faces knowledge gaps and lacks adequately trained human resources, making these threats even more challenging. Moreover, there has been a lack of opportunities to join forces from different parts of the globe towards the ultimate goal of advancing bat research and conservation in general. The GSB links bat enthusiasts with a vision of tackling bat research and conservation. The network emphasises collaboration and capacity building, and also showcases the incredible work of bat researchers across the Global South.
So communication about research and raising awareness on bat conservation are also key objectives of the GSB. How did you join the GSB and what is your role as ambassador?
Twitter magic! It all trickled down when I first saw the advert for the ‘1st Bat Course on Ecology, Diversity, Conservation, and Ecosystem Services’ on Twitter back in late 2019. I had just applied to an MPhil/PhD programme at the University of Mauritius on bat ecology and conservation and this course was exactly what I was dreaming of. So I applied for it and a few months later I was on a flight to Mombasa to follow the course (lucky enough just before the world started to shut down because of SARS-COVID-2). Subsequently, after many meetings, the organisers of the course (now in the Board of Directors) approached me to officially join the network. So, I am now both a member and the Liaison Coordinator. My role is to facilitate communication, encourage participation and exchange of information among GSB members and anyone interested in learning about bats and how to protect them. In a nutshell, I am here to make all GSB members feel at ease with sharing their respective knowledge and experiences, especially since some of the African members are French speakers, and being bilingual, I try to bridge that language barrier as well.
Walk us through your experience in Mombasa: what did you learn, which new skills you gained and what are your views on the importance of such courses?
From the very start of the course, my experience in Mombasa was slightly different from the other participants. I traveled from Mauritius to Kenya on the day the course started. It should have been an uneventful flight but somewhere along the way, I caught what seemed to be a stomach bug that almost ruined my entire trip. I arrived at Mombasa and met with a few other students who, like me, were full of excitement but, unlike me, looked pretty healthy.
By the time we arrived at Diani (the course venue in Mombasa), I could barely stand by myself and was feeling absolutely queasy and nauseous. A doctor was called and I found myself spending my first night in a hospital bed! I was diagnosed with severe dehydration and was put on IV drops. The next morning, I got my strength back, and rejoined the course. I was received with cheers and smiles. Everyone was extremely supportive and I started working with my team members on our educational project. But in no time, I found myself back in the hospital room. My illness was back again, more severe than before. I was faced with a dilemma: either I stay and do the course or go back home. I was angry and scared at the same time. I had dreamt about this course so much. This was the first time that I had been away alone, and the first time I was hospitalised. I felt incredibly sad if I was forced to abandon my team and lose this unique chance to learn from experts that spent their entire life dedicated to bat conservation. I still cannot fathom from where I got the strength, but I stayed and I continued the course, with the support and encouragement of my mother and a friend (who happens to be the president of Nature Yetu).
On the third day of the course, I went back to the classroom with a bag (and stomach) full of antibiotics and painkillers. I felt strong and determined to make the best out of the remaining days. And how grateful I was that I did not abandon the course: I learnt things and skills worth gold! I got the opportunity to see and handle a myriad of bat species during the course. I learnt so much about different methods on how to sample bats. I was amazed by the acoustics lectures as bioacoustics is a burgeoning field in ecological research. I also learnt about so many other topics on bat research. I definitely gained more confidence in safely handling different bat species. However, the most important and invaluable thing I probably got from the network is the everlasting friendship with my fellow 30 companions and professors from six different countries.
You have had quite an unusual yet exciting experience in Mombasa. From the interactions with peers from different parts of the world, would you say that bat research and conservation needs are different or similar around the world?
There are a lot of similarities. Evidence points to an unprecedented global diversity loss making it clear that the challenges now facing conservation efforts will require more robust data and innovative ideas, which will need to be designed at local, regional and global scales. Bats make up 20% of the global diversity of mammals, but unfortunately 80% of bat species assessed by the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) are threatened with extinction (and some are already extinct). A large part of these species live in the Global South, varying from species that live in near pristine places to those in highly anthropic settings and which face a considerable number of challenges. This is especially true in small islands like Mauritius.
In a nutshell, we need more collaboration and valorisation of research from ‘underprivileged’ countries, so that as a global community we can decrease the speed of the decline of bats and of biodiversity on our planet.
Finally, how can a young bat enthusiast or researcher become part of the GSB network?
We are going to launch the official GSB website in a couple of months (stay tuned for that — great things are brewing!). Resources will be made available and seminars will be organised for bat enthusiasts and early career scientists. Regarding membership, there will be options to join the network as a member against a fee, but don’t worry if you cannot afford it, your application will be considered on a case to case basis. In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter (@globalsouthbats) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GlobalSouthBats/).
Before you go, which is your preferred bat species?
Of course, the endemic Mauritius free-tailed bat (Mormopterus acetabulosus).
Yogishah Bunsy is currently an MPhil/PhD student at the Tropical Island Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation pole of research at the University of Mauritius, her work deals with the ecology and conservation of an endemic and threatened cave bat in Mauritius. She also works for the local NGO Ecosystem Restoration Alliance Indian Ocean (ERA IO) that is primarily involved in bat conservation across the Indian Ocean. You may also read about her work here and reach out to her on Twitter and ResearchGate.
Edited by Cláudia Baider
