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Are bats spreading the coronavirus? This and other similar questions debunked by industry expert
28 Aug 2020
Photo by Todd Cravens on Unsplash
Since the emergence of coronavirus, bats have been at the centre of negative speculation globally - with over 5,000 active monthly searches about bats and coronavirus since March this year.
Typical questions the UK public are searching for on Google include:
While the source remains unclear, Ben Gardner, Director at Ecology by Design - a leading independent ecology consultancy - has been keen to ‘debunk’ the ‘facts and fiction’ surrounding the divisive creatures:
“Bats are an important part of our biodiversity within the UK and worldwide. If everyone has a greater understanding about bats and the role they play, it’s hoped they’ll be less unwelcomed. With greater knowledge about bats in the UK and worldwide we hope that people will be more excited to spot a bat and less fearful to live alongside them.”
“Landowners and homeowners can do an awful lot to help bats. From creating a pond or wildflower area to attract more insects (that bats feed off), to installing a bat box or reducing the amount of lighting. They’re very slow breeders and long-lived therefore every little step to improve conditions for bats can have a cumulative impact on their populations and ecosystems as a whole.”
Ben Gardner and his team of ecologists have created an interactive quiz to engage more of the British population with bats, aid their conservation, and to most importantly provide the answers to the questions the UK public are still searching for. You can take part in the quiz below....
Typical questions the UK public are searching for on Google include:
- Are bats spreading the deadly coronavirus infection?
- What is the real cause of coronavirus, bats or snakes?
- Does eating bats cause coronavirus?
While the source remains unclear, Ben Gardner, Director at Ecology by Design - a leading independent ecology consultancy - has been keen to ‘debunk’ the ‘facts and fiction’ surrounding the divisive creatures:
“Bats are an important part of our biodiversity within the UK and worldwide. If everyone has a greater understanding about bats and the role they play, it’s hoped they’ll be less unwelcomed. With greater knowledge about bats in the UK and worldwide we hope that people will be more excited to spot a bat and less fearful to live alongside them.”
“Landowners and homeowners can do an awful lot to help bats. From creating a pond or wildflower area to attract more insects (that bats feed off), to installing a bat box or reducing the amount of lighting. They’re very slow breeders and long-lived therefore every little step to improve conditions for bats can have a cumulative impact on their populations and ecosystems as a whole.”
Ben Gardner and his team of ecologists have created an interactive quiz to engage more of the British population with bats, aid their conservation, and to most importantly provide the answers to the questions the UK public are still searching for. You can take part in the quiz below....
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