Nuapada: It won’t be wrong to say that bats are to the people of Lanjimar what blackbucks are to the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan. Owing to their dwindling population, the people of Lanjimar under the Sadar range in Odisha’s Nuapada district have been protecting bats with their life. They are virtual vigilantes for the bats who fall prey to poachers in most parts of the state
“Over the years, we have been protecting the bats. They move freely day and night in the village. As we keep poachers at bay, their number is growing,” said villagers.
For the villagers, these bats hanging upside down from tree branches is a delight to watch. “All of us treat bats as goddesses. We are always ready to protect them from poachers. If someone enters the village with the motive of poaching, villagers drive him away. In summer, we arrange water pots around the trees so that they don’t have to look for water.”
“Our forefathers used to protect the bats here. We love a harmonious co-existence with the endangered bats who have become permanent residents of the village. They have no fear of the poachers. We are also teaching our children to carry on the tradition to protect the species,” they added.
Khadial DFO Sushil Kumar Tripathy is all praise for the villagers for their conscious efforts to protect the species.
“Thousands of bats are now surviving in the village because the villagers have provided them protection. Keeping water pots for the mammals in summer is commendable,” the DFO said, expressing concern that bats in other parts of the state are on the brink of extinction.
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