By Ryan Mantilla

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Feb. 2, conservationists asked for the protection of the remaining forests in Boracay as the threat of losing endangered fruit bats, commonly known as golden-crowned flying fox, emerged.

The critically endangered species roosting the island of Malay, Aklan, were last seen two years ago. According to Friends of the Flying Foxes (FFF), a wildlife conservation group, fruit bats could survive on native fruit trees. 

The wildlife conservation group said that the golden-crowned flying foxes could return to the island if the forests are declared critical habitat. 

A six-month shutdown of the resort island in 2018 and lockdowns during the COVID-19 outbreak failed to bring a rare bat species back.

FFF also mentioned that even the other bat species exhibited a decrease in population.

“For 2021, we again sadly must report that the bat population on Boracay Island hasn’t reached above 40 individual Fruit Bats,” the organization stressed.

The said organization stated that bats' homes are being destroyed by overdevelopment, while tourism noise and non-stop movement disrupted their life rhythms.

“Since 2019, the golden-crowned flying foxes have no longer been seen or even recorded anywhere on the island by our organization,” FFF said. 

FFF assumed that the species probably transferred elsewhere since, in 2019, they were discovered roosting in Pandan, Antique, and felt unsecured, resulting in their disappearance up to this day. 

The said organization blamed the disappearance of bats species on hotel constructions, cutting of trees, and massive tourism development.