Don’t blame bats

Don’t blame bats


Bats are taking another hit, this time for the novel coronavirus. While it likely originated in bats, humans play a role by stressing wild animal populations. So, let’s not blame bats—especially since they do so much good.

Bats are the quintessential insect eaters. An average-sized bat can eat up to a thousand mosquitoes every hour, and that’s just the start. Their bug consumption saves billions of dollars annually in costs of crops and pesticides.

Bat droppings play key ecological roles too—from spreading fruit seeds in rainforests to replenishing nitrogen in the soil.

Some bats are also great pollinators. In fact, they’re the only pollinators for mangos, bananas—even blue agave, the key ingredient in tequila.

Finally, studying how bats carry viruses without getting sick may help humans fend off future pandemics.

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