BATS PERCH IN THE ROOF OF CAMBODIA'S NATIONAL MUSEUM, 2001-03-06 (photo)

Bats, which include the uncommon Theobald's tomb bat, as well as the more common bearded tomb bat and wrinkle-lipped bat, perch in the roof of Cambodia's National Museum in Phnom Penh. The unique colony is at the heart of an environmental debate with international ramifications. The bats' droppings or guano becomes powdery and falls through slats in the ceiling during the dry season to settle on the priceless statues and paintings, and during the rainy season it runs down the museum walls to further damage the artwork and collect in black puddles on the museum floor. Picture taken March 6, 2001. HJ/CC