Sarangani village declared sanctuary of world’s biggest bat

Koronadal City — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here has declared a village in Sarangani province as a protected sanctuary of the biggest bat in the world.

Macorro Macumbal, regional executive director of DENR in Central Mindanao, made the declaration after a team of DENR experts from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Division (PAWD) confirmed the existence of a rare bat species known as "Giant Golden Crowned Flying Fox" in Barangay Pinol in Maitum town.

The Giant Golden Crowned Flying Fox bat is being considered by wildlife experts as the biggest bat in the world and is found only in the Philippines. It is one of the more than 50 fruit-eating bats found in Mindanao.

"Protecting them is the best option for DENR. We view such declaration as our concrete gesture of ensuring their preservation," Macumbal said.

According to the assessment report of the PAWD team to Macumbal, the bats, which are migratory in nature, were seen "flying" every night in the hinterland parts of Barangay Pinol.

However, accounts gathered by the team showed that the bats were originally sighted in the mountainous parts of Barangay Kalubi in Palembang town in Sultan Kudarat province in 1998.

Disturbed by heavy kaingin, the bats left Kalubi and reportedly transferred to Barangay Pinol in Maitum town.

Macumbal lauded barangay officials in Pinol for passing a resolution seeking the protection of the bats and their sanctuary in the area.