S6 E5: Have You Gone Batty? The Story of Bats, Disease and the Environment

Bats are the base of several ecosystems and without them those ecosystems would fail, and with them, several food sources would also fail, but bats also carry some of the most deadly diseases known to mankind. SARS, MERS, coronavirus, Ebola, they all have natural reservoirs in bats. Because people fear them, maybe because they carry disease, maybe they have visions of Dracula in their heads, maybe because they don’t understand how invaluable they are, bats have become targets of people who consider them pests. Now several species are endangered and that could be far worse for the ecosystems that they are a vital part of. It’s 90 Seconds to Midnight and a vital part of the chain of wildlife is coming under attack by humans who don’t understand that bats are the intermediary between human life and death. In more ways than one. There are 1300 species of bats living in almost every country in the world, some are no bigger than a child’s palm, others have six-foot wingspans. So, if bats carry all these diseases, how do they survive? Why don’t they get sick and die? This is what makes bats a medical marvel. You can reach me on the website at www.causeofdeath100secs.net or you can email me at Jackie@causeofdeath100secs.net. My Link Tree can be found at: https://linktr.ee/CauseofDeathpod Bats, Disease and the Environment Show Notes: https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/where-do-bats-live#:~:text=Bats%20can%20be%20found%20in,bridges%2C%20mines%2C%20and%20trees. https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/where-do-bats-live https://www.doi.gov/blog/13-facts-about-bats https://www.fws.gov/story/hidden-urban-nightlife http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/rabiesmanualpdfs/rabies_faq.pdf https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/species-information/mammals/bats.html https://www.science.org/content/article/how-do-bats-live-so-many-viruses-new-bat-stem-cells-hint-answer This is how you can build a bat house for your yard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPlkXifGJ9M This is how to attract bats to your home: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20706363/how-to-attract-bats/ https://www.batcon.org/article/hiding-from-the-lights/ https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/threats-to-bats/other-threats/radio-frequencies-and-microwaves