Many kinds of assumptions have been made about bats over the centuries. These beliefs are clearly reflected in mythology. In these, bats have been described as mysterious, elusive and sometimes even demonic creatures of the night. Indeed, the cave-dwelling superhero bats are said to be inspired by the “death bat” mentioned in the Mayan civilization. In mythology of the Mayan civilization, the “death bat” is a god of darkness and sacrifice called Camajot’s It is known by the name.
This image has become more frightening in recent times as bats are said to be the source of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, SARS and now Covid 19. However, the researchers say that the real culprits are humans because they are destroying habitat and biodiversity. These habitats and biodiversity protected humans from the dangerous bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms that animals carry from one place to another.
There are about 1400 species of bats. Bats pollinate more plants than any other animal in the world. If these bats are no more, biodiversity will continue to decline and the risk of disease progression will increase.
No banana without bats
Bats constitute 20% of all mammals on Earth. Without them, many ecosystems will be destroyed. These are the bats that incubate the flowers in plant species that produce food such as bananas, mangoes and agave. The bats spread and regenerate over 500 types of plants, including cocoa beans. They eat the fruits and spread the seeds on the ground to sprout.
Every year in the month of spring, bats go out to roam across the continent, but now they are facing a lot of trouble. Due to deforestation and development, there is a continuous decrease in the habitat of bats, from Zambia to Germany. Despite the fact that they find a place to stay in buildings and parks in urban areas, their number is starting to decrease. There were once around 200 species of flying fox or fruit bat (fruit bats), but now eight are extinct and 22 are on the verge of extinction. Bats will reduce biodiversity and banana production will decrease.
Blood sucker who are also social animals
Most species of bats eat insects, fruits, or pollinators. However, there are three species of them that suck blood. They are originally found in America. However, it has been seen very rarely that these bats drink the blood of humans. They mostly suck the blood of other birds. Despite this frightening image of him, a team of German researchers has shown that blood sucking bats are also of a community mentality.
Biologist Simon Ripper says, “They show very complex social behaviors. They groom each other’s hair. They eat food together. If a bats comes back hungry from hunting, the other bats in the group ‘vomit blood.” Taxes’ give blood to hungry bats. It is the blood that they suck from others as their own food. “
This type of awareness also includes following social distancing (social distance) during a period of ill health. When a bat is feeling unwell, it follows social distancing. He becomes lethargic and gets much less from the people in his group.
Why to blame bats
Despite being in very small numbers, blood sucking bats attract more attention. However, there are many other species of bats that spread the virus on animals. These viruses spread rapidly in humans. Ebola, SARS, Mars (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and Kovid-19 are believed to have originated from bats.
Because of high body temperature, bats have high immunity and can tolerate infectious diseases. In the event of a fever, they can stop the virus and spread them further. This spreads it to other animals.
The role of bats in the spread of infectious disease is not surprising. They are the second most populous mammal after mice, and also the most dynamic. This is the only mammal that can fly. Bats cover a distance of around 2000 km during a walk.
It is being said in the #DontBlameBats campaign that bats are being blamed for the epidemic today, while humans are the ones who have made themselves more vulnerable to zoonotic diseases.
Recent studies have shown that biodiversity has declined drastically, especially due to deforestation. This has reduced the distance between humans and such wildlife, which spreads dangerous viruses originating in bats.
In some countries, efforts are being made to kill bats due to zoonotic diseases, but these bats will only restore biodiversity and limit the spread of virus in humans. Bats also eat a large group of disease-causing insects, including mosquitoes. Some bats eat more than 1,000 insects per hour.
Bats are also helpful in planting forest
Fruit-eating bats spread their seeds all over the world. These bats can help in spreading essential seeds in deforested area. The bats are helping to plant trees again in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. 800 hectares of African woodland is being redeveloped every year with the help of bats.
In Madagascar, species of bats eat insects that damage crops. Also, these bats are also helping to make the deforested land green again. Research by Zoologist Ricardo Rocha of Cambridge University shows how rice farmers in Madagascar were harvesting more forest to compensate for crop losses from pests, but now these bats eat those pests. Are helping. Rocha believes that now the loss of crops due to reduction in crop loss and making space for farming will reduce.
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