The conclusion is drawn by scientists from Tel Aviv University. They conducted research on a species of bats in captivity and their behavior. They realized that these animals have episodic memory and are forward-thinking when looking for food. These are cognitive characteristics that were previously attributed only to humans. Egyptian bats have human memory.
Researchers observed the behavior of wild Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). It is a common species in sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile Valley. After a long period of captivity at the Tel Aviv University Zoo, the bats avoided trees that no longer bore fruit. This is according to the study published in the journal Current Biology.
Remembering the food
Like other species of this species, Egyptian fruit bats are particularly fond of juicy and sweet fruit. These animals remember the location of trees where they can feed on their favourite delicacy. To test this, they installed GPS trackers on several bats and followed their flight paths for several months.
This is what they discovered. Bats take into account both the past and future prospects when making decisions about their diet. In other words, they do not always go to the same trees to feed. Egyptian bats have human memory.
“We found that after a day in captivity, bats returned to trees they had visited the night before. After a week, older bats changed their behaviour. Based on previous experience, they avoided trees that had stopped bearing fruit,” said Lee Harten, author of the study.
Mastering the environment
But young bats did not do this. This suggests that this behaviour is acquired, not innate. What’s more, the researchers found that the specimens do not leave their colony without a specific destination in mind. They know exactly where to go at dusk to find food.
“We conducted a detailed analysis of bat movements and food choices. It was evident that bats plan which tree to visit while still in the colony. This shows future-oriented behavior and delayed gratification each night,” the researchers wrote.
This indicates that these animals build an accurate mental map of the position of the trees they are interested in. They have a solid knowledge of their environment, even remembering the fruits that a particular tree bears.
