Safeguarding Heritage Buildings: Balancing Bat Conservation with Effective Tourism Management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63385/etsd.v1i1.24Keywords:
Heritage Site Conservation, Bat-Human Interaction, Ecological Pest Control, Sustainable Tourism Management, Non-Invasive Deterrents, Built Heritage and BiodiversityAbstract
This study investigates the complex relationship between insectivorous bats and built heritage, focusing on their presence in historic structures such as the 17th-century Chander Nagar Gate in Lucknow, India. While bats play a beneficial ecological role in regulating insect populations and supporting agricultural ecosystems, their habitation within heritage sites raises concerns related to structural deterioration, hygiene, and visitor experience. Employing a multidisciplinary framework that bridges conservation biology, architectural heritage management, and sustainable tourism, this paper evaluates both the ecological importance of bats and their impact on cultural monuments. Field observations, photographic documentation, and pilot deterrent trials using naphthalene were conducted to assess roosting behavior and mitigation outcomes. Results revealed minor guano-related staining but no immediate structural erosion, with species such as Pipistrellus pipistrellus showing adaptability to artificial lighting. The study further explores non-invasive management strategies, including acoustic deterrent devices, light modulation, and installation of bat boxes, emphasizing the importance of tailoring interventions to specific site conditions and species behavior. In parallel, the paper addresses visitor attitudes and potential conflicts through proposed survey instruments, advocating for inclusive tourism strategies that balance biodiversity conservation with public comfort and safety. It concludes that bats need not be expelled but rather managed through evidence-based, site-sensitive approaches that uphold both ecological and heritage values. This integrated model supports the dual goals of conserving biological diversity and sustaining the cultural integrity of heritage tourism destinations.
References
[1]Goulson, D., 2013. An overview of the environmental risks posed by neonicotinoid insecticides. Journal of Applied Ecology. 50(4), 977–987. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12111
[2]Bhalla, I.S., Razgour, O., Rigal, F., et al., 2023. Insectivorous bats in Indian rice fields respond to moonlight, temperature, and insect activity. Landscape Ecology. 38(11), 2947–2963. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-023-01764-1
[3]Abd-Rahman, S.S., Tingga, R.C., 2023. A brief review of the nutritive value and chemical components of bat guano and its potential use as a natural fertiliser in agriculture. Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology. 13(1), 22–31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.5100.2023
[4]Singh, M.R., Gupta, D.A., 2021. Removal of bats’ excreta from water-soluble wall paintings using temporary hydrophobic coating. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation. 60(4), 269–280. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01971360.2020.1734749
[5]Fornós-Astó, J.J., Ginés, J., Gràcia Lladó, F., Merino, A., Gómez-Pujol, L., Bover, P., 2014. Cave deposits and sedimentary processes in Mallorca, Western Mediterranean. International Journal of Speleology. 43(2), 159–174.
[6]Shahack-Gross, R., Berna, F., Karkanas, P., Weiner, S., 2004. Bat guano and preservation of archaeological remains in cave sites. Journal of Archaeological Science. 31(9), 1259–1272. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2004.02.004
[7]Kasso, M., Balakrishnan, M., 2013. Ecological and economic importance of bats (Order Chiroptera). International Scholarly Research Notices. 2013(1), 187415. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/187415
[8]Korad, V., Yardi, K., Raut, R., 2007. Diversity and distribution of bats in the Western Ghats of India. Zoos'print Journal. 22(7), 2752–2758. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.1563.2752-8
[9]Tanalgo, K.C., Hughes, A., 2021. The potential of bat-watching tourism in raising public awareness towards bat conservation in the Philippines. Environmental Challenges. 4, 100140. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2021.100140
[10]Debata, S., 2021. Bats in a cave tourism and pilgrimage site in eastern India: Conservation challenges. Oryx–The International Journal of Conservation. 55(5), 684–691. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S003060531900098X
[11]Jones, G., Rydell, J., 1994. Foraging strategy and predation risk as factors influencing emergence time in echolocating bats. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences. 346(1318), 445–455. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1994.0161
[12] Altringham, J.D., 2011. Bats: From evolution to conservation. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK. pp. 1–324.
[13] Russo, D., Ancillotto, L., 2015. Sensitivity of bats to urbanization: A review. Mammalian Biology. 80(3), 205–212. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2014.10.003
[14] Furey, N.M., Racey, P.A., 2016. Conservation ecology of cave bats. In: Voigt, C., Kingston, T. (eds.). Bats in the Anthropocene: Conservation of Bats in a Changing World. Springer: Cham, Switzerland. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25220-9_15
[15] Zubaid, A., McCracken, G.F., Kunz, T. (eds.), 2006. Functional and evolutionary ecology of bats. Oxford University Press: New York, NY, USA. pp.1–342.
[16] US Geological Survey, 2003. Monitoring trends in bat populations of the United States and territories: problems and prospects. USGS/BRD/ITR--2003-0003. US Geological Survey: Washington, USA. p.274.
[17] Fenton M., Simmons N., 2015. Bats: A world of science and mystery. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7208/9780226065267
[18] Riederer A.M., Smith K.D., Barr D.B., et al., 2010. Current and historically used pesticides in residential soil from 11 homes in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 58, 908–917. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-009-9439-z
[19] Srinivasulu, C., Srinivasulu, B., 2001. Bats of the Indian subcontinent–an update. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/24104951 (cited 24 February 2025).
[20] Shapiro, J.T., Víquez-R, L., Leopardi, S., et al., 2021. Setting the terms for zoonotic diseases: effective communication for research, conservation, and public policy. Viruses. 13(7), 1356. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v13071356
[21] Brenner, E.R., 2013. Human rabies in South Carolina: case report, clinical issues, and public health perspectives. Journal of the South Carolina Medical Association. 109(2), 48–53.
[22] Otálora-Ardila, A., Cuervo-Robayo, Á.P., Nassar, J.M., et al., 2024. Potential distribution of the Curaçaoan Long-nosed Bat, Leptonycteris curasoae: implications for monitoring and conservation. Therya. 15(3), 289–301.
[23] Kunz, T.H.; Racey, P.A., 1998. Bat Biology and Conservation. Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington, DC, USA.
[24] Biswas, J., Shrotriya, S., Rajput, Y., et al., 2011. Impacts of ecotourism on bat habitats in caves of Kanger Valley National Park, India. Research Journal of Environmental Sciences. 5(9), 752–762. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/rjes.2011.752.762
[25] Talerico, J.M., 2008. The behaviour, diet and morphology of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) near the northern extent of its range in Yukon Canada [Master’s thesis]. Calgary, AB: University of Calgary.
[26] Gilmour, L.R.V., Holderied, M.W., Pickering, S.P.C., et al., 2021. Acoustic deterrents influence foraging activity, flight and echolocation behaviour of free-flying bats. Journal of Experimental Biology. 224(20), 1–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.242715
[27] Zhou, D., Deng, Y., Wei, X., et al., 2024. Behavioral responses of cave‑roosting bats to artificial light of different spectra and intensities: implications for lighting management strategy. Science of the Total Environment. 916, 170339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170339
[28] Stone, E.L., Harris, S., Jones, G., 2015. Impacts of artificial lighting on bats: a review of challenges and solutions. Mammalian Biology. 80(3), 213–219. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2015.02.004
[29] Spoelstra, K., Van-Grunsven, R.H., Ramakers, J.J., et al., 2017. Response of bats to light with different spectra: light-shy and agile bat presence is affected by white and green, but not red light. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 284(1855), 20170075. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.0075
[30] Kaiwa, E., 2017. Sustainable tourism in Asia—current situation, trends, and existing practices. In: Schroeder, P., Anggraeni, K. (eds.). Sustainable Asia: Supporting the Transition to Sustainable Consumption and Production in Asian Developing Countries. World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.: Singapore, Singapore. pp. 359–389. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814730914_0014
[31] Laverty, T.M., Teel, T.L., Gawusab, A.A., et al., 2021. Listening to bats: Namibian pastoralists' perspectives, stories, and experiences. Journal of Ethnobiology. 41(1), 70–86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-41.1.70
[32] Hall, C.M., 2010. Tourism and biodiversity: more significant than climate change? Journal of Heritage Tourism. 5(4), 253–66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2010.517843
[33] Tervo-Kankare, K., 2012. Tourism and climate change: impacts, adaptation and mitigation. Routledge: London and New York, UK. p. 440.
[34] Voigt, C.C., Phelps, K.L., Aguirre, L.F., et al., 2016. Bats and buildings: the conservation of synanthropic bats. In: Voigt, C.C., Kingston, T. (eds.). Bats in the Anthropocene: Conservation of Bats in a Changing World. Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland. pp. 427–462. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25220-9
Downloads
PDF
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Biyas Ghosh, Manager Rajdeo Singh
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
