Ethnobiology of Bats: Exploring Human-Bat Inter-Relationships in a Rapidly Changing World

Rocha, Ricardo; López‐Baucells, Adrià; Fernández‐Llamazares, Álvaro

doi:10.2993/0278-0771-41.1.3

Cited by 22 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 126 publications

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“…It is good to bear in mind that negative views on bats have neither been universal nor always prevailed in the human history. For example, in the Asia-Pacific region, bats have been associated with good luck (Rocha et al, 2021) and for the most part attitudes toward bats have been positive in that area (Low et al, 2021). However, global pandemics can exacerbate human attitudes toward bats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disease Avoidance Model Explains the Acceptance of Cohabitation With Bats During the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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Bats and humans have a close relationship based on cohabitation, with bats taking roost in buildings. It has been suggested that bats function as a reservoir of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease in humans. A misconception that bats can spread SARS-CoV-2 to humans may have increased negative emotions toward bats and reduced individuals’ acceptance of cohabitation with bats during the COVID-19 pandemic. By applying the disease avoidance model, we tested whether knowledge about bats would be associated with reduced negative emotions toward bats, which in turn would be associated with increased acceptance of cohabitation with bats. Moreover, we tested whether previous experiences of bats, perceived COVID-19 risk, age, gender and level of education would be associated with negative emotions and acceptance of bats. A quantitative survey (N = 577) collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland was analyzed with multiple linear regression. The results supported the disease avoidance model. Negative emotions toward bats reduced the acceptance of cohabitation with bats. However, knowledge about bats was associated with increased acceptance of bats both directly, as well as indirectly, via reduced negative emotions. Moreover, perceived COVID-19 risk was associated with increased negative emotions toward bats, and reduced acceptance of bats. Females were more likely than other respondents to report negative emotions, and reduced acceptance of cohabitation with bats. Prior experience of bats was associated with increased acceptance of bats as neighbors. These findings suggest that COVID-19 pandemic may threaten the existence of bats if no action is taken. The findings highlight the importance of correcting misunderstandings about non-human species as transmitters of diseases to humans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disease Avoidance Model Explains the Acceptance of Cohabitation With Bats During the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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“…Throughout Southeast Asia, bats are associated with luck and good fortune and used as spiritual totems [6,27]. Since the fourteenth century, Chinese culture has regarded bats as lucky animals, and these blessing bat symbols have been prevalent in Chinese arts over the centuries [33].…”

Section: Southeast Asiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are more than 1400 bat species worldwide, and they make up roughly 20% of the world's extant mammals [6]. They are hugely beneficial to man and play a major role in the well-being of the world's ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bats in Folklore and Culture: A Review of Historical Perceptions around the World

Sieradzki¹,

Mikkola²

2022

Bats - Disease-Prone but Beneficial

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Belief systems of people have always been closely related to animals, which are symbolized in traditional narratives. Sociocultural definitions of animals as “good or evil” have persisted throughout the history of human beings. In the West, bats are often perceived as evil spirits, Vampires, and harbingers of death, while some cultures across the Asia-Pacific region associate bats with good fortune. Here, we review documented narratives and surveys from around the world and our ethnographic observations from Europe to analyze beliefs associated with bats. We explore the role that bats play in traditional narratives and the likely reasons for their salience, including their connections with the extraordinary and supernatural. Finally, we discuss shortly the need of education to change attitudes toward bats. In North America, education has had some effect as more people have started to understand how useful bats truly are and how few cases of bat-born rabies transmission to humans there have been in the United States and Canada . It remains to be seen, however, how effectively the further education efforts could halt or even reverse the decline of the bats around the world. It is also noted that bat tourism has a potential to conserve bat populations while providing social and economic benefits to local people in host communities.

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“…Bats are particularly vulnerable to any form of harvesting because they are long-lived and the majority of species give birth to just a single pup per year, resulting in low reproductive rates [8,9] that cannot compensate for current hunting levels [10][11][12], particularly in populations already declining as a result of habitat loss. With over 1450 species described [13], bats are an important component of global mammalian diversity and perform critical ecosystem services as agents of pest suppression, pollination, and seed dispersal [14][15][16][17]. Population declines consequently have ecological and economic consequences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Medicinal Use of Bats: A Systematic Literature and Social Media Review

et al. 2022

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The hunting of bats for food and medicine is one of the greatest threats to bat conservation. While hunting for consumption is the focus of increased attention, the specific medicinal uses of bats are poorly documented, limiting mitigation efforts. Here, we determine the distribution of bat hunting for food and medicinal use and characterize medicinal use practices. We systematically surveyed English-language scientific literature and social media platforms utilizing keywords and hashtags in 27 languages. We found 198 papers and 1063 social media posts from 83 countries and territories. Although use for food was more common, with 1284 unique reports from 71 countries, bats were used to treat 42 ailments of 11 human body systems across 37 countries (453 reports). Asthma was the most common ailment, distantly followed by kidney conditions. Ten organs or body parts of bats were used medicinally, with bat meat (flesh) and fluids (blood, bile, and oil) the most common. Understanding the effects and drivers of specific bat hunting practices will help guide conservation and public health efforts in the communities where bats are hunted. By pinpointing the ailments bats are being used for, outreach and alternative treatments can be introduced to replace the use of bats.

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Ethnobiology of Bats: Exploring Human-Bat Inter-Relationships in a Rapidly Changing World

Cited by 22 publications

References 126 publications

Disease Avoidance Model Explains the Acceptance of Cohabitation With Bats During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Disease Avoidance Model Explains the Acceptance of Cohabitation With Bats During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Bats in Folklore and Culture: A Review of Historical Perceptions around the World

Global Medicinal Use of Bats: A Systematic Literature and Social Media Review

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