Western pagodas attract birds and bats to stay for decades
Báo Dân trí•20/09/2024
(Dan Tri) - Many pagodas in the Mekong Delta are not only famous for their history but are also known by names such as bat pagoda, stork pagoda... The reason is that these pagodas are also home to many wild animals.
DoungLeySiRiVanSa Pagoda, also known as Duong Xuong Moi Pagoda (Dinh Hoa Commune, Go Quao District, Kien Giang) is not only famous for its history of more than 100 years but also for being the home of hundreds of storks and herons for more than two decades. With an area of over 1.6 hectares, the temple grounds have many star and oil trees 30-50m high, an ideal habitat for storks and herons.
Venerable Danh Ti, abbot of Duong Xuong Moi Pagoda, said that the herons have lived at the pagoda for more than 20 years. Initially, when the old pagoda had not been renovated, they lived in the grounds of Duong Xuong Cu Pagoda. After the main hall was moved to a new location, they migrated and have stayed there until now. The white herons that live here are large, the largest weighing up to 4kg and having a wingspan of about 50cm. In addition to herons, there are also birds such as cormorants living in symbiosis. Thanks to the protection of the temple and the surrounding people, the flock of birds has grown to about 300 individuals. The treetops were covered with bird droppings, killing many branches, creating territorial marks for birds. Similarly, Bat Pagoda (Mahatup) in Ward 3, Soc Trang City, Soc Trang Province, is famous for the tens of thousands of bats that once lived there, covering the entire pagoda yard and the sky in the afternoon.
Bats at Bat Pagoda are mainly flying foxes and flying foxes, weighing from 0.5-1kg. However, the number of bats has decreased significantly in recent years. Tourist Nguyen Van Hung said he felt regretful when he saw the number of bats had decreased significantly compared to his previous visit. In My Hoa Hung commune, Long Xuyen city, An Giang, Hung Long pagoda has become a home to thousands of flying foxes for over 50 years, surprising and making local people curious about the origin of this bat species. Hung Long Pagoda has about 1,000 star anise trees, which are home to bats. Bats often change their location, sometimes in front of the main hall, sometimes on the side of the pagoda. Mr. Huynh Van Bay, a Buddhist at Hung Long Pagoda, said that since the 80s of the last century, he has witnessed flocks of bats flying to roost on the tops of sao and dau trees. Initially, there were only a few dozen, but after a few months, the number increased to hundreds. "They do not destroy people's fruit trees but only look for white cotton trees to eat. After many years of monitoring, I have noticed that every flood season in this area, flocks of bats fly to eat white cotton trees. They are docile, so the local government, pagoda and people are determined to protect them and prohibit hunting," said Mr. Bay. According to Mr. Bay, from April to October of the lunar calendar every year, bats migrate to the pagoda, then fly away. During the day, they fly hundreds of kilometers to find food, and return to the pagoda to sleep at night. Although their numbers reach thousands, the trees under their canopy do not emit a foul smell, only the treetops are bare. Bats at Hung Long Pagoda are not too large in size, weighing about 1.2kg, with a wingspan of 60cm on each side. It is reported that experts have previously attached GPS devices to some bats, and have found that this flock of bats originated from Bat Pagoda (Soc Trang). Every year, during the flood season, they have to evacuate to find food, and one of their destinations is Hung Long Pagoda.
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