Phu Pha Man National Park is home to several mountains and lots of different organisms, like the bats and even endangered species like pangolins. Bats live in colonies, but this colony is especially large! People report millions of bats flying out of the cave at sunset, in a stream of bats so long that it seems to go on for several miles. This environment is unique compared to other places that I've visited.
The national park provides revenue for the local community because it is a hub for tourism. Many people travel here just to see the bats. This aids the people in being able to sustain themselves and have financial security.
One potential challenge of living so close to such a large colony of bats is the possibility of humans being infected by bat-borne diseases. Bats can spread a number of viruses to humans, the most well-known being the rabies virus, but there is not a high risk of being infected. If someone is infected, however, some viruses that are spread by bats are fatal if not treated.
Like in all environments shared by humans and other animal species, humans must adapt to living near these creatures. In this case, humans have kept the bats safe and let them live without interference, as the bats are a source of tourism. Ecotourism is an excellent way to keep natural spaces around the world safe from things like habitat loss from deforestation and other development.
