{
  "id": 19830190,
  "title": "Fruit bats emerge as unlikely allies in the Atlantic Forest restoration",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/fruit-bats-emerge-as-unlikely-allies-in-the-atlantic-forest",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-13T15:22:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/fruit-bats-emerge-as-unlikely-allies-in-the-atlantic-forest-restoration/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fruit bats, often misunderstood in Western culture, are emerging as unexpected allies in the restoration of the Atlantic Forest. Once feared as carriers of vampires, these nocturnal mammals have a vital role in their ecosystems, particularly as seed dispersers. Unlike their blood-sucking counterparts, only three of the world's roughly 1,500 bat species consume blood and none target mammals like cattle or livestock. Instead, bats are the second most diverse group of mammals, trailing only rodents. Remarkably, around a third of bat species feed on fruit or nectar, a trait that can aid in the regeneration of natural areas.\n\nLays Cherobim Parolin, a now professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, encountered this remarkable ecological role during her early career. Initially seeking to study larger mammals, Parolin joined a bat research project instead. Her interest was piqued upon first holding a fruit bat, noting its potential to restore habitats often overlooked by other wildlife. So impressed was she that she got a tattoo of the great fruit-eating bat (Artibeus lituratus), identifiable by its distinctive head stripes. This tattoo serves as a constant reminder of the crucial role these misunderstood creatures play in ecological balance.",
  "summary": "Bats have long occupied a sinister place in Western pop culture. Ever since Bram Stoker published Dracula in 1897, these nocturnal mammals have been associated with vampires. Outside fiction, however, only three of the world’s roughly 1,500 known bat species feed on blood — and only one targets mammals such as cattle and other livestock. […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}