The Great Fruit Bat Feast
In The Great Fruit Bat Feast, narrator Sir David Attenborough considers the fruit bats of the Congo, with wings nearly a meter wide, as they embark on a journey to a remote swamp in Zambia. These bats travel hundreds of miles to feast on fruit, devouring nearly 1 billion pieces in just a few weeks! The mystery of how they know exactly when and where to go remains unsolved, but their incredible journey shows how far they’ll travel for a good meal! This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Lesson Express
Q: Why do you think the fruit bats choose Kasanka as their destination for the migration? How does the availability of food influence their journey?
A: Kasanka is full of fruit like mangoes, which provides the bats with the energy they need after their long migration. The abundance of food is essential for their survival, and it’s the main reason they make such a challenging journey.
Q: What challenges might the bats face during their migration to Kasanka and back to the Congo? How do these challenges test their survival skills?
A: The bats might face challenges like predators, exhaustion, and harsh weather during their migration. These challenges test their survival skills by requiring them to navigate long distances, find safe resting places, and conserve their energy to make it to Kasanka and back.
Q: How does the bats' migration impact the ecosystem in Kasanka? What might happen if the bats didn’t make this journey?
A: The bats play a crucial role in the ecosystem by spreading seeds from the fruit they eat, which helps new plants grow. If the bats didn’t make the journey, the ecosystem might suffer because fewer seeds would be dispersed, affecting the growth of fruit trees and the animals that depend on them.