Niktopapparos – the Cyprus fruitbat.
Irene Soteriou B3, Anna Charalambous B4, Chrystalla Kaili B4 (Agios Georgios Lyceum,
Lakatamia)
We live in a world that is constantly developing with often detrimental effects on the
environment. Each and everyone of us has to keep informed on environmental matters
since human development has brought many organisms on the verge of extinction. One
burning matter that concerns the Cyprus fauna, is the dramatic decrease in the number of
the bat Rousettus aegyptiacus commonly known in Cyprus as Niktopapparos. In our
investigation we received invaluable help from Mr Charis Nicolaou, officer of the Cyprus
Forestry Department, who cordially provided us with photographs, information and has also
guided us to one of the few caves were niktopapparos individuals can still be found.
Inside the caves, niktopapparos, chooses dark and cool areas, where the best part of its
day is spent hunging upside down from the dome. Unfortunately, despite all the efforts to
protect the caves, vandals manage to break the barriers, enter the caves, managing to
terrify and possibly kill the defenceless creatures for no reason whatsoever. One such
example is seen in the picture which we took on our visit to a protected cave just outside
Nicosia.
Niktopapparos is extremely important for all Cypriots we all should view it as our bat.
Cyprus is the only country in the European union where this species is found. Unfortunately
though, as it has happened in the past with other species in the Cyprus fauna, we managed
to bring the organism in the verge of extinction.
Niktopapparos belongs to the class of megacheiroptera which is the largest species of bat
and the largest found in Cyprus. It has wing span of 60cm and is the only one of the
megacheiroptera that has sonar abilities.
Despite the fact that the popular belief wants bats to
be creepy creatures with piercing teeth and ugly
faces, niktopapparos is cute and sweet, with tiny teeth
capable only to eat fruit and this is why it is also
referred to as the fruitbat. It looks like a mouse and
has small sharp teeth to bite and suck the juice from
fruit. It is in fact usefull as it aids pollination since it
Niktopapparos hunging from the
dome of a cave.
Courtesy of Mr. C. Nicolaou
also feeds with nectar. In addition, it eliminates the
spread of harmful insects as it consumes not only the
fruit but also any larvae that may be in them.
Cypriot farmers as well as the consecutive Cyprus goverments in the 70s were not aware
of the usefulness of the winged mammal and they were thus promoting its destruction.
They believed that all damage to fruit produce was caused by the fruitbat. Using the
financial damage as an excuse, they started as back as the years of the british colonial
times, the mass extinction of the animals using violent and cruel methods.
The exterminators were using fireguns to burn the fruitbats alive or they were using
poisonous gasses to fumigate the caves thus forcing the bats to exit to where they were
expecting them with shotguns. The mass execution of bats was an especially entertaining
pastime even for people who had suffered no direct harm from the bats. This was causing
the numbers of cold blooded executors to rise sharply. The results of this practice were
detrimental for the bats who saw their numbers declining dramatically. So, due to the innate
barbaric nature of humans as well as insufficient information, niktopapparos is now almost
extinct in Cyprus
In the European union, all cheiroptera are protected. So, Cyprus, the only European
country where Niktopapparos lives, has classified it as a priority species and included it in
the stricktly protected list of organisms. This entails the adoption of steps toward the
organism’s protection and the promotion of regulations toward the development of special
protected areas like those included in the Natura 2000 scheme – European network for the
protection of natural habitats. In this scheme, we had the addition of 36 areas in Cyprus for
the protection of the habitat of various Cypriot species of fauna and flora, and areas where
niktopapparos lives were included.
Furthermore, the relevant services in Cyprus provide
financial help to fruit producers towards the purchase of
special nets harmless for the bats and which may be
placed around their trees and plantations thus blocking
the bats from accessing them.
What else can we possibly do to prevent the extinction
of niktopapparos?
Small colony of Niktopapparos in
a cave.
Courtesy of Mr. C. Nicolaou
Firstly, access to areas where the bats live and which are mainly caves or deserted mines,
should be stricktly prohibited to the public, and protected from noise thus preventing the
disruption of the animals.
Secondly, trees whose fruit is included in the bat’s diet should be planted.
Finally, we would like to think that by raising public awareness, the vandalism of caves will
stop as well as the extermination of the bats. We hope that at least the new generation,
open-mindedly will help so that the numbers of fruitbats will recover soon thus avoiding the
danger to witness the extinction of yet another organism from our country as a
consequence of “civilized life” and human “development”.
Bibliography
European Journal of Wildlife Rescue DOI 10.1007/s10344-006-0041-7ORIGINAL PAPER
The destruction and conservation of the Egyptian Fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus in
Cyprus: a historic review by Eleftherios Hadjisterkotis. 21 March 2006
Internet
Sources from the archives of the Forestry Department.