WCS 3-Sentence Science

Bats Pollinate World’s Smelliest Fruit

November 22, 2019

CREDIT: SHEHERAZADE / WCS INDONESIA PROGRAM

Each year, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists publish more than 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3-Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet — in bite sized helpings — of some of this published work.

Here we present work by Sheherazade, of the WCS Indonesia Program, on the relationship between bat conservation and the successful pollination of durian trees.

1. The durian, knowns as the world’s smelliest fruit, is economically important for local livelihoods in Indonesia.
2. Researchers used camera traps to see how bats versus insects pollinated durian trees discovering that that bat pollination is worth approximately ~$ 117/ha/fruiting season.
3. By demonstrating an ecological link between bats and the local economy, this research provides an urgent message for Southeast Asian governments regarding the need to promote bat conservation in order to increase the production of durian grown under semi-wild conditions.

Study and Journal: “Contributions of bats to the local economy through durian pollination in Sulawesi, Indonesia” from Biotropica
WCS Co-Author(s): Sheherazade (Lead), Conservation Science Specialist, WCS Indonesia Program

For more information, contact: Stephen Sautner, 718–220–3682, ssautner@wcs.org