via Phnom Penh Post, 25 August 2021: The Apsara Authority installs nets to prevent bats from nesting inside Angkor Wat.
The Apsara National Authority (ANA), a body tasked with managing the Angkor Archaelogical Park, is installing a net in the roof of the Angkor Wat gallery to prevent bats from entering the structure as Bat urine is a source of moisture and salinity which combined erodes the temple’s stonework.
ANA spokesman Long Kosal said on August 25 that an ANA team was already putting in place the net.
Kosal explained that authorities resorted to this preventive measure because bats fly into dark places in the temple where they urinate and the moisture and salinity of the urine damages the temple.
He added that there were ancient wooden ceilings in the temple. For many years, the ceilings have been rotting. In response, ANA’s working group organised for the net to follow the contours of the ceiling, facilitating the installation of the bat barrier.
Source: Bat-proof netting at Angkor Wat installed to stop stone erosion | Phnom Penh Post