Dazzling in flight, mysteriously resistant to disease, and vital to ecosystems around the globe—bats are a scientific wonder.
Bats represent one of evolution’s great success stories. They share traits with us—such as “hand” wings and warm blood—yet remain fascinatingly alien. One-fifth of all mammal species are bats. They eat everything—insects, fruit, nectar, blood, and fish—and are an integral part of just about every ecosystem. Bats consume mosquitoes and agricultural pests, and pollinate plants like bananas, avocados, and the prized agaves of the Sonoran Desert. In short: No bats, no tequila.
Yet despite their amazing abilities, bats have long been associated with darkness and disease. Today, they are vulnerable to habitat destruction, climate change, and diseases like white-nose syndrome, with more than 200 species listed as threatened.
Efforts are ramping up to study bats’ longevity and disease resistance, proposing that their evolutionary adaptations for flight may contribute to unique immune systems. Unraveling these secrets could lead to new advances for human use and—defenders of bats hope—coexistence. “We really owe it to bats to treat them right. And what do they ask?” says Rodrigo Medellín, Mexican ecologist and National Geographic Explorer. “Just leave them alone.”
Artist Bios
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Nichole Sobecki
Nichole Sobecki is a photographer and filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. Her work focuses on humanity’s fraught, intimate, and ultimately unbreakable connection to the natural world. In 2016, Sobecki began working in Somalia on Where Our Land Was, which investigates how conflict and climate change collide in an agonizing feedback loop that punishes some of the world’s most vulnerable people. As a National Geographic Explorer, she next looked into the critical role the Congo Basin plays in the ecological balance of our planet. Her current project, Natura, looks at the evolution of motherhood in this time of unprecedented ecological change. Sobecki’s work has been recognized by the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, the ASME Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, and Pictures of the Year, among other honors, and has been exhibited internationally.
Organizations
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National Geographic
Representing the largest brand on social media with over 780 million followers and 1.1 billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content’s award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore, and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches over 532 million people worldwide in 172 countries and 33 languages as a digital, social, and print publisher and across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Established in 1888, National Geographic is a trusted print and digital publication that creates visually stunning, richly reported photojournalism and distinguished, impartial coverage of the globe’s most pressing issues. Visit nationalgeographic.com and natgeotv.com or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit.
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NYC Parks
NYC Parks is the steward of more than 30,000 acres of land — 14 percent of New York City — including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds, 1,800 basketball courts, 550 tennis courts, 65 public pools, 51 recreational facilities, 15 nature centers, 14 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches. We care for 1,200 monuments and 23 historic house museums. We look after 600,000 street trees, and two million more in parks. We are New York City’s principal providers of recreational and athletic facilities and programs. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals.
Bats—A Love Story
Featuring: Nichole Sobecki
Locations
View Location Details Washington Street and Prospect StreetWashington Street and Prospect Street
DUMBO, Brooklyn 11201
Location open 24 hours
Read the story here: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/bats-evolution-research-diseases
The views and opinions expressed in this exhibit are those of the exhibition artists and partners and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Photoville or any other participants and partners of the Photoville Festival.
