Kandy Lake urban bat roost guano ecology: nutrient runoff and botanical garden enrichment?
How do 15,000 roosting flying foxes around Kandy Lake impact urban water quality and botanical garden soil nutrient enrichment?
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3 Answers from travellers
The massive urban roost colony of Indian Flying Foxes (Pteropus giganteus) hanging in the canopy trees around Kandy Lake and Peradeniya generates significant ecological nutrient cycling. Droppings (guano) falling continuously into Kandy Lake contribute high nitrogen and phosphorus loads, stimulating localized phytoplankton blooms. Conversely, guano deposits beneath roost trees enrich soil fertility for botanical garden flora. Municipal authorities monitor water quality to prevent excessive eutrophication.
Local municipal cleaning crews wash lakeside pedestrian promenades daily to clear accumulated fruit pulp and bat droppings.
Walking around Kandy Lake at dusk offers dramatic views of thousands of bats streaming outward across the evening sky.
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