Oaxaca Celebrates Bats That Keep Mezcal Industry Alive

When most people were celebrating Pride on June 20, a small team in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca was preparing for a different kind of party: honoring the bats that keep their economy alive.

Proyecto LAM, a vibrant plant nursery founded in 2018 by Graciela Ángeles and her family, hosts an annual "Night of the Bats" celebration. What started as an agave research project evolved into something bigger when they realized the plants couldn't survive without their furry pollinators.

The evening brings together farmers, producers, academics and families for a sunset garden walk, followed by expert talks, dinner and mezcal. This year, biologist Rosario Aceves Íñiguez introduced guests to the ecological wonders of bats, calling them "among the most fascinating, interesting and wonderful" mammals despite being deeply misunderstood.

In Mexico, bats and agave plants share a vital relationship. Nectar-feeding bats serve as primary pollinators for agave, the plant behind tequila and mezcal. Without bats, there would be no mezcal, and without flowering agave plants, endangered bat species would struggle to survive.

But bat populations are crashing. During Proyecto LAM's first bat capture in 2018, they found several hundred bats. Last year, they captured only three. This year saw a small rebound with 15 bats captured, but the decline remains alarming.

Habitat loss, pesticide-heavy monocrops, and white-nose syndrome (a fungal disease that has killed millions of bats worldwide over the past decade) are devastating populations. In Oaxaca, the syndrome has caused drastic declines among cave-dwelling species.

The challenges extend beyond ecology. Rosario explained that national insecurity and safety concerns make nighttime fieldwork increasingly dangerous for researchers. Studying nocturnal animals requires working in the dark, which now carries significant risks in some regions.

The Ripple Effect

Proyecto LAM is fighting back with "citizen science," making research accessible and connecting everyday people with scientific discovery. Their approach is already changing hearts and minds in their community.

This year, middle school students from Santa Catarina Minas entered a contest creating bat-themed artwork. Winners received certificates and sketchbooks, planting seeds of curiosity in young minds. Graciela says watching children get excited about science might be the most important outcome of all.

The celebration also supports practical conservation. "Bat Friendly" certification encourages mezcal and tequila producers to let some agave plants flower and seed instead of harvesting them all, providing crucial food sources for bats.

For Graciela, the mission is simple: help people see bats not as dirty "flying rats" or blood-sucking vampires, but as essential partners in the ecosystem that sustains their community and economy. When kids learn to love bats, the ripple effect touches everyone from farmers to mezcal producers to tourists who visit Oaxaca for its famous spirits.

Every bat saved is a win for biodiversity, local livelihoods, and the next generation of scientists growing up in Santa Catarina Minas.