Background: Bats play an important role in the ecology of many environments, although the general lack of knowledge on the relevance of these animals hinders initiatives that contribute to the development of favorable attitudes and participative measures that promote the conservation of these animals and the ecosystems they inhabit. In the present study, 398 residents of eight neighborhoods of the town of Caxias in Maranhão, Brazil, were interviewed to verify their perceptions of bats.Methods: A total of 398 individuals were interviewed during the present study. The interviewees were between 17 and 91 years old, and two-thirds (263; 66%) were women, while the other 135 were men (34%).Results: Most of the interviewees described bats as ugly and disgusting animals that look like rats, feed primarily on fruit, and frighten people. These individuals also confirmed that bats are important for Nature and should be protected simply because they are living creatures. The analyses indicate a significant association between a fear of bats and the belief that all these animals are vampires, and also that women are more likely to have a fear of bats than men. There was also an association between a low education level and the belief that all bats are vampires.Conclusions: The present study provides important insights into the perception of bats by the local population, highlighting the prevalence of mythical beliefs, which hinder the implementation of effective conservation measures. The results of this study reinforce the need for initiatives in environmental education that provide more reliable information on the biology of bats and their ecological importance, thereby contributing to the conservation of bat diversity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.