Interns Explore Bat Conservation and Cave Ecology by Shenequa Williams
Interns in the Ministry of Agriculture’s Summer Internship Programme recently visited a bat cave, where they received an educational briefing from Mrs. Camellia Wallace-Tonge, Mr. Jameel Ambrose, Mr. Sebastian Cochrane and Ms. Shanice Mullin on the importance of bat conservation and cave ecosystems.
During the session, interns learned that Antigua was once home to 16 bat species, but only eight have been confirmed today. Researchers are hopeful that a recently detected unidentified species could become the island’s ninth confirmed species.
The presenters also dispelled common myths about bats, explaining that Antigua and Barbuda has no recorded cases of rabies in bats and no vampire bats. Interns were reminded to respect the cave environment by minimizing their ecological footprint and following conservation guidelines throughout the visit.
Following the briefing, the interns entered the cave where they observed several bats flying around in their natural habitat, giving them a firsthand look at the species they had just learned about.
Once in the cave some of the interns were amazed by the rock formation, they proceeded to enlighten Mrs. Wallace-Tonge with some geographical data which impressed her and she gave special recognition to the interns who studied Geography, noting that the visit provided valuable real-world insight into the field and highlighted the role of conservation in environmental management.
The experience gave interns a greater appreciation for bats and the importance of protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s natural ecosystems.
