Zambia boasts (and hosts) the largest mammal migration on earth, the Kasanka Bat Migration which is an astonishing natural wonder that attracts photographers, scientists and travel enthusiasts worldwide. About 10 MILLION straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) descend into a forest inside the Kasanka National Park which is situated in Northern Zambia. You’ll be able to witness the migration between October and December every year, but note that this natural phenomenon is completely unique to the Kasanka National Park.
It’s a smaller park, just under 40 000ha and serves as a temporary home for these fruit bats, which is the second largest species on the continent. They boast an impressive wingspan of up to a metre and can weigh up to 350g. The straw coloured fruit bats have taken a liking to the wild fruit that appears after Zambia’s first rains, but scientists don’t really know where the bats spend the rest of the year. It’s highly suspected and believed that they settle somewhere deep in the Congo rainforests, but it seems like the scatter and separate at some point after take-off.
Interestingly, the bats in Kasanka are not in sync with the same breeding cycle. You’ll spot some that are pregnant and some with their young, so the colonies are gathering from all over Africa. It really is a phenomenon that has been baffling scientists and zoologists for centuries. There are satellite tracking projects in place to try to solve the mystery. Come and experience this magical event for yourself when you book your next Zambia safari package! We’ll gladly add this bucket-list experience as a customised item to any of our Zambia travel packages.
