BATTAMBANG: Thousands of flying fox bats have established a home in the trees near Bay Damram pagoda, about 14km outside of Battambang city. The locale is a tourist destination which has only been enriched by the presence of the Southeast Asian natives.

Hoeun Sophal, a vendor in the area, said that the herds have been a prominent feature of the area since the 1990s. While they still live in the surrounding farms and orchards, they have moved to the villages since farmers began shooting them to protect their crops. He estimated that there are upwards of 10,000 bats living in the trees.

Flying fox bats are endemic to Southeast Asia that borders the Gulf of Thailand although they have been seen as far north as China. While they are nocturnal feeders of fruit, they are also active during the day when parents feed their children and perform grooming rituals. Between habitat loss and being hunted to protect orchards, the bats are currently listed as vulnerable.

Vendor Hoeun Sophal said that the bats are a big draw for tourists in the area, who are interested in their strange mannerisms-sleeping upside down in precarious positions and making a loud din that sounds like machinery from a distance. He noted that while their bodies look like bats, their heads look like dogs.

Deputy Director of the Battambang Department of Tourism, Ham Arun, confirmed that the large bat population near the Buddhist pagoda is a big draw for tourists. He sees the peculiar creatures as an opportunity to encourage tourists and locals alike towards conservation efforts.