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Unverified news and social media posts linking bats to the COVID-19 outbreak have led to widespread dislike and there has been a rise in public incidents of destroying bat shelters and smoking them. To raise awareness, 64 chiropterologists (those who study bats) from six countries in South Asia have published a document that clarifies the myths about bats and firmly states that bats do not spread COVID-19.
They also clarify that bat coronaviruses (BtCoV) found in two species of Indian bats (in a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research) are not the same as SARS-CoV-2 and cannot cause COVID-19.
Also read: Awareness program distributing printed bat masks
“Human activities and the invasion of wildlife habitats put us at risk of finding new viruses. We need to modify human practices to prevent the emergence of new pathogens, “says Arinjay Banerjee, a postdoctoral researcher at McMaster University, Canada, in the statement. He studies bat viruses and was part of the team that isolated the COVID-19 virus.
The exact origin of SARS-CoV-2 is still unknown, the researchers write, and it is premature to blame bats or any other animal for the pandemic.
“Killing bats and destroying their habitats can be more damaging as this can lead bats to expand their habitat. We must remember that all wild animals harbor viruses and it is very partial and unfair to point fingers only at bats. If we continue to destroy habitats, there are possibilities of spreading other viruses from other animals to humans, “explains Harish Prakash, Ph.D. scholar, at the Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, to The Hindu.
Researchers and conservationists highlight that bats perform vital ecosystem services, such as pollination and pest control, and provide intangible economic benefits.
They urge the governments of South Asian countries to strengthen the legal framework to protect bats. Since only two species (out of 128) are protected by law in India, the researchers are asking the government to reconsider and strengthen the laws governing the conservation of bats.
“The current pandemic is the result of ongoing ecological destruction, increasing the intensification of livestock and wildlife trade. We ask the media not to oversimplify the scientific evidence, emphasize the role of humans in disease outbreaks, and highlight the importance of living with bats in urban landscapes, ”they write.
