As bat populations decline across the globe, scientists are concerned about a new decor trend targeting one species, Phys.org reported.
What's happening?
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, and City University of New York-Queens College conducted a study examining online sales of the bat species Kerivoula picta, also known as the painted wooly bat. In the three-month span of the study, they found 284 of these bats on Etsy, eBay, and Amazon. The animals were being sold as jewelry, Halloween decorations, and jarred curios.
"These bats are not from the United States, but they're being sourced from across Asia and then brought here and used as décor," said co-lead author Nistara Randhawa, a UC Davis data scientist and epidemiologist, per Phys.org. "With this study, we hope to raise awareness and propel the conservation of this species."
Why is this trend concerning?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature already categorizes the painted wooly bat as a near-threatened species, and its conservation status is expected to worsen with the rise and ease of global e-commerce, Phys.org explained. This species is especially vulnerable to trade because of its slow life history, as the bats only live for 10 years and have one offspring during that time.
Meanwhile, bats provide many important ecosystem functions that benefit us, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. For one thing, they're pollinators, just like bees and butterflies — some foods that rely on bat pollination include bananas, mangoes, cashews, dates, avocadoes, peaches, cloves, and figs. Tropical bats are also essential in maintaining rainforests, as they disperse seeds through their droppings.
Plus, bats eat large numbers of mosquitoes, thereby helping to control diseases like the West Nile virus. But mosquitoes aren't the only insects bats eat — in fact, they're so good at chomping on insects that they can serve as an effective alternative to pesticides.
What's being done about the bat trade?
According to Phys.org, the authors of the study recommend enacting formal legal protections for the painted wooly bat by including it in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I, which would prohibit international trade. They also support a legal petition to list the species under the Endangered Species Act and more field studies to understand population trends and challenges.
You can help by staying away from these types of listings online — the researchers warn that sellers often used misleading language that described bats as "sustainably sourced," but these were false claims likely aimed at easing consumer worries.
Locally, you can support native bat populations by buying or building your own bat houses. You can also make your yard friendlier for all pollinators by following a few easy steps, like eliminating pesticides and removing invasive plants when possible.
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