Common Misconceptions About Bats

Bats have a special and very inaccurate place in pop culture for representing and invoking the scary, dark, unknown and all too powerful evils. Yes some bats can look very mean and unusual, but bats are battling an unfair and inaccurate reputation that may be contributing to why they don't receive as much support in their conservation as they should.

Here are some of the commonly held misconceptions about bats, and the facts:

Bats will give me rabies

In the same way that the majority of dogs in the world don’t have rabies, bats don’t too. However:

“A bat that can be easily approached by humans is likely to be sick and may bite if handled.” – BCI.

Bats will go for my blood if they get the chance

Not quite. Only one species out of all 1,300 bat species has a thing for mammal blood, and it is native to Latin America. The reported cases of bats attacking humans are mainly caused by their food sources becoming significantly scarce due to unsustainable farming and hunting practices.

TBC!