Just one maternity roost for the Fijan free-tailed bat is known to exist – and its located in legendary Nakanacagi Cave on the Fijan island of Vanua Levu.
11.07.24
By Kristen Pope
While the South Pacific nation of Fiji is made up of more than 300 islands, only two of those islands are home to the Endangered Fijian free-tailed bat (Mops bregullae). And just one maternity roost for the species is known to exist, located in locally legendary Nakanacagi Cave on Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island.
Scientists estimate only a few thousand Endangered Fijian free-tailed bats remain, and this cave is vital for the species’ survival. Nakanacagi Cave is located just outside Nakanacagi Village, and it provides critical habitat for many native and endemic species, serves as a primary water source for bats, and is surrounded by land that still holds pockets of Fiji’s rare tropical dry forest. The cave also holds cultural significance for nearby residents, who refer to it in folk stories and celebrate a historical connection to several archeological sites surrounding it.
BCI and partners, including National Trust of Fiji, Nature Fiji MareqetiViti, Rainforest Trust, Nakanacagi Village, and the University of the South Pacific, have been working to protect this cave from habitat degradation and destruction, as well as cave disturbances. BCI has conducted extensive conservation work in the area, including tracking bat movement around the islands and conducting a LiDAR (light detection and range mapping) scan of the cave to learn more about it.
In 2019, BCI and partners secured the purchase of the cave and surrounding land for the National Trust of Fiji, creating Fiji’s first Bat Sanctuary. Then, in 2023, BCI helped facilitate a workshop for partners in Fiji, with the goal of creating an informed management plan to protect the cave and bats. The completed plan describes policies and actions that will help the species survive long-term.
Last summer, a team from BCI traveled to Fiji to meet with stakeholders and present the completed Nakanacagi Bat Sanctuary management plan to both local and national government officials. With this crucial step, the management plan has become part of the government record, supporting permanent protection for the bats.
A celebration hosted by the Nakanacagi Village marked the occasion with music, poetry, and dance created by community members in honor of the management plan and the sustainable future it ensures for the cave, the bats, and Nakanacagi Village. A university student from the village, Selai Saladakai Qarau, wrote of the celebration, “A whole Itaukei traditional ceremony was performed throughout the programme with the presence of the Chief (Turaga na Vunivalu, Na Tui Dreketi),” noting that “villagers and staff and students of a nearby school” attended the ceremony to witness the passing of the management plan.
Nakanacagi Cave holds cultural significance for nearby residents, who refer to it in folk stories and celebrate a historical connection to several archeological sites located around the cave.
In addition to the site’s conservation value and cultural significance, factors like the potential for ecotourism and native species reintroduction are components included in the finalized plan to protect Nakanacagi Cave. As the area bounces back from cyclones, the resiliency of the land and people working to protect this invaluable resource continues to drive the evolution of BCI overall.
Learn more about BCI’s Endangered Species Intervention campaign and stay tuned for exclusive and visually stunning films about Fiji, Jamaica, and Kenya later this year
Read more about protecting Endangered Bats in Fiji in Bats Magazine.
