Unguja. A 2020 study by the International Bat Conservation Institute has found that Zanzibar is home to 32,000 bats, with 7,560 of them located at Wete Port.
The number marks a 12.35 percent increase in the bat population at the port when compared to 6,729 bats reported in 2010.
During that period (2010), the study identified 22,100 bats on Pemba Island, indicating an increase of 9,900 bats when the numbers in 2024 and 2010 were compared.
These figures were revealed on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, by Zanzibar’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources, and Livestock, Mr Shamata Shaame Khamis.
Mr Khamis was responding to a question raised in the House of Representatives by Mtambwe representative, Dr Mohammed Ali Suleiman.
Dr Mohammed inquired about the bat population at Wete Port, a key resting site for many bats (flying foxes) that inhabit the large trees there.
He also expressed concerns about rumours of a declining bat population and sought clarification on research regarding their abundance, reproduction, and the government’s efforts to protect these endangered species, as well as how the bats benefit the community.
In his response, Minister Khamis explained that the government has provided legal protection to Pemba’s bats by placing them under the highest protection level in Forest Law No. 10 of 1996.
He said they are listed in Appendix I, which includes wildlife protected by a hunting ban.
“Additionally, bat conservation clubs have been established across Pemba Island, including in Kidike, Makoongwe, and Mjini-Wingwi. Special awareness programmes on bat conservation are also being carried out in schools,” said Mr Khamis.
He highlighted that bat conservation has also become a unique tourism attraction, benefitting local communities through income generation, while unveiling the ecological role of bats in various research projects.
“The studies confirm that many bats are found at Wete Port, and the ministry is continuing to educate local communities on the importance of protecting them,” said Mr Khamis.
He added that bats thrive in calm environments for their activities and should not be disturbed.
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