YAGUARÓN – A team of technicians working on the restoration and enhancement of the Temple of San Buenaventura de Yaguarón, in the department of Paraguarí, identified the presence of a rare bat species in the historic monument. The finding occurred within the framework of actions of the Tekorenda program, of the National Government of Paraguay.
Researcher Karen Chávez, from the Biodiversity Research Nucleus (NIB) of the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences (Facen) of the National University of Asunción (UNA), explained that the species Nyctinomops mbopicuare means 'cave dweller', although the specimens found reside in the temple. 'This species is Nyctinomops mbopicuare, which means they inhabit caves, but we discovered that they live here, in the Yaguarón temple,' highlighted Chávez.
UNA-Facen Biology student Elías Marín added that these bats feed on mosquitoes, moths, and beetles, contributing to the balance of the local ecosystem.
In coordination with the National Secretariat of Culture (SNC), the Tekorenda program promoted, on May 4 and 5, talks in Yaguarón and in Isla Umbú, in the department of Ñeembucú, about natural heritage and its coexistence with historic temples. During the events, professionals from the Paraguayan Bat Conservation Program and Facen/UNA discussed mitigation and coexistence techniques with these species, considered essential for natural pest control.
The director of Communication of Tekorenda, Pedro Ferreira, reported that studies to identify the species inhabiting the temples of Yaguarón and Isla Umbú are advancing. The team is working on a protocol for exclusion and relocation of bats without affecting biodiversity. The proposal provides for the installation of small boxes called 'Mbopirógas' in the external areas of the temple, to allow the relocation of the colonies without causing environmental impact.
Ferreira highlighted that these actions follow international guidelines aimed at strengthening the candidacy of the Temple of Yaguarón as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, taking care of both material and natural heritage.
Professor and researcher Gloria González de Weston, from the Department of Biology of Facen/UNA, praised the scope of the Tekorenda program 'because we take care not only of cultural heritage, but also of natural heritage'.