Kasanka bat migration
Experience this astonishing event where millions of straw-coloured fruit bats make their way to Zambia's Kasanka National Park each year.
See the incredible bat migration in Kasanka, Zambia
© Shutterstock
The world's largest mammal migration
When we think about Africa and migration, your mind most probably jumps to the impressive wildebeest and zebra migration of Tanzania and Kenya, and rightly so. However, this is not Africa’s largest migration, that honour is held by Kasanka National Park’s annual bat migration which takes place in the between the Congo and Zambia – and what a sight it is to behold.
Each year, between October and December around 10 million straw-coloured fruit bats make their way from the skies of Congo to Kasanka National Park in Zambia. When they arrive they settle in a small concentrated patch of swamp forest.
- A spectacle to behold
- Around 10 million fruit bats in one place
- Watch from special tree hides
- Try to identify individuals
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What should you expect?
The bats are pretty big (in bat terms) with wing spans of up to 80cms, this makes it easier to sometimes pick out individuals and watch them more closely. During the day you’ll see them hanging upside down clinging to branches as they rest and catch up on some sleep. The branches bend under the weight of so many individuals, and on occasion have been known to break, a rude awakening for the bats.
© RHickman,Shutterstock
Come sunset, the sky is filled with the flapping of wings as they launch themselves skyward, darting this way and that as they set off in search of food – the sheer number of these flying straw-coloured fruit bats is amazing, they fill the sky and it’s all you can see in every direction.
The park is set up for those wanting to view the bats and there are various places to do this. Take up position in one of the hides set up in the trees or opt for the public viewing areas. Where you choose depends on what you want to see. The tree hides give you a view of the bats as they launch themselves into the sky while the public viewpoints will give you a better overview of the sheer size of this spectacle.
© RHickman,Shutterstock
© RHickman,Shutterstock
It's not all about bats...
Kasanka is not just about bats, though these are undeniably the main attraction. It’s one of Zambia’s smallest parks at just under 500sq km, but due to the wetlands and floodplains it is rich in biodiversity. There are around 114 different mammals found here and birders won’t be disappointed with over 500 species recorded. This is a good place to seek out sitatunga, a shy antelope, difficult to spot elsewhere.
