As bat populations decline worldwide, scientists are concerned about a new decoration trend that targets a particular species, Phys.org reported.
What happens?
Researchers from the University of California, Davis and the City University of New York-Queens College conducted a study on online sales of the bat species Kerivoula pictaalso known as the painted woolly bat. During the three-month study, they found 284 of these bats on Etsy, eBay and Amazon. The animals were sold as jewelry, Halloween decorations and curiosities in jars.
“These bats are not native to the United States, but are sourced from all over Asia and then brought here and used as decoration,” said co-leader Nistara Randhawa, a data scientist and epidemiologist at UC Davis, according to Phys.org. “With this study, we hope to raise awareness and advance conservation of this species.”
Why is this trend worrying?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature already classifies the woolly bat as a near-endangered species, and its conservation status is expected to worsen with the rise and ease of global e-commerce, Phys.org explained. This species is particularly vulnerable to trade due to its slow life history, as the bats only live for 10 years and have one offspring during that time.
At the same time, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, bats perform many important ecosystem functions that benefit us. For one, they are pollinators, just like bees and butterflies—some foods that rely on bat pollination include bananas, mangoes, cashews, dates, avocados, peaches, cloves, and figs. Tropical bats are also essential to rainforest conservation because they disperse seeds through their droppings.
Bats also eat large numbers of mosquitoes, helping to control diseases like West Nile virus. But mosquitoes aren’t the only insects that bats eat—in fact, they’re so good at eating insects that they can be an effective alternative to pesticides.
What is being done about the bat trade?
According to Phys.org, the study’s authors recommend formally protecting the painted woolly bat under law by listing it on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which would prohibit international trade. They also support a petition to list the species under the Endangered Species Act, as well as further field studies to understand population trends and challenges.
You can help by avoiding such online offers. The researchers warn that sellers often use misleading wording describing the bats as “sustainably sourced.” However, these are false claims likely designed to allay consumer concerns.
Locally, you can support the native bat population by purchasing or building bat houses. You can also make your yard friendlier to all pollinators by following a few simple steps, such as avoiding pesticides and removing invasive plants when possible.
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