An iron ore cave in Carajás National Forest, Brazil, formerly inhabited by bats
Ataliba Coelho
Iron ore caves where bats roost in Brazil have become much larger than caves without bats – due to the weathering effect of thousands of years of guano.
The iron-rich earth beneath the Carajás National Forest in the Brazilian Amazon hosts more than 1500 caves, only 10 of which currently house bats or used to.
Most other cave-dwellers – such as bacteria, fungi and invertebrates like beetles and scorpions – don’t leave their underground haunts. But bats …
