By Matukio Daima Media
The challenge of bats has become a significant concern for residents of Seaview Ward in Kivukoni District, Ilala Municipality, Dar es Salaam.
The impact of bats can vary depending on the time of year and location. Here are some of the potential issues caused by bats:
Bats can transmit diseases such as Ebola, Nipah virus, and others, making them a health risk to humans.
Some bat species feed on fruits and can cause crop damage, especially in agricultural areas.
Bats flying at night can produce loud noises that can be disturbing to people living near their habitats.
Bats may leave their droppings in the areas where they reside, leading to environmental pollution.
However, bats also play a crucial role in the environment, such as helping control insect populations and aiding in the dispersal of tree seeds. Therefore, any actions taken regarding bats should consider both environmental and health consequences.
Residents of the Upanga area, which faces a significant bat challenge, have resorted to cutting down trees and trimming branches as a way to reduce the bat population. While this strategy has been effective to some extent, it contributes to environmental degradation.
One of the residents working at a hotel in the Upanga area stated, "What else can we do? We have no option other than cutting down trees and trimming branches because the bats are a nuisance and make a lot of noise."
Hotels with a significant bat presence have seen a decline in the number of guests, and they are appealing to the government to take action to eliminate the bats.
However, they hesitate to take direct action due to concerns about legal consequences related to animal rights laws. They mentioned holding a neighborhood meeting organized by the Seaview Ward local government earlier this month, where one of the major concerns was the nuisance caused by bats.
Asha Alli, a member of the neighborhood Sanitation Group in Kimara Ward, Kivukoni District, expressed their frustration with the presence of bats. She explained how the bats not only disturb their daily cleaning routines but also occasionally attack or defecate on residents, which necessitates additional cleaning efforts.
As of Friday, October 20, 2023, at 6:45 PM, the local government leadership was unavailable to discuss plans to address this issue.
On April 19, 2023, while in parliament, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Mussa Azzan Zungu, urged the government to swiftly send experts to Kivukoni Ward in Dar es Salaam to address the bat problem that had become a nuisance.
Laws for the protection of animals and birds aim to regulate human activities that can impact the environment and wildlife. These laws may include:
- Wildlife Conservation Laws: Regulating when and how animals can be hunted and protecting endangered animal species.
- Environmental Laws: Controlling environmental pollution and damage to the habitats of animals and birds.
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