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  PlanetSave 3 Nov 05
Bad Press for Bats
 Written by C.Shaw

Journalist, John Higginson wrote in the London Metro that the Brazilian Vampire bats have been biting humans since recent deforestation, claiming the bats to be "Bloodsucking serial killers from the sky”.

Last month in Maranhao, 23 people died of Rabies after being bitten by vampire bats, to a reader who knows little about rabies or bats, he is inducing fear of both and giving bats a bad name.

Bats getting bad press can be bad news for endangered bats in this country that are not blood feeding species.

There are 16 species of bat in the UK all of which are insectivorous, 14 of which have all declined by 60 percent in recent decades. Greater and lesser horseshoe bats are endangered, the barbastelle is very poorly known and the mouse-eared bat became extinct in 1991.

Cause of decline is due to persecution and poisoning, habitat destruction, pesticide use and pollution.

Bats have a unique biology, hibernating through the winter months and using echolocation for hunting insects. They are valuable to the natural ecosystem and are in need of protection.

Bats are fascinating creatures and a better awareness of their biology is the key to preserving these fragile animals, not a nurturing of fear, which this article may result in even if it concerns non-British species.

The common Vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), may carry rabies but they are not aggressive creatures and are not the main vector or cause of rabies. Vampire bats inhabit subtropical and tropical regions between northern Mexico and Argentina and Chile, and islands of Margarita, and Trinidad. They live in elevations of up to 2,288 meters, roosting in isolated caves and tree hollows. They feed on the blood of wild mammals and domesticated animals such as cattle, horses and pigs and occasionally humans.

Vampire bats feed by making a small incision on their host, with their tiny front teeth and lap up the blood with their tongue, their saliva contains an anti-coagulant which scientists have developed into the blood-thinning drug called Draculin, used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in humans.

Due to intensive logging of rainforests, loss of wild food sources, displaces the vampire bats to feed increasingly on people and domestic animals. A rise of such incidents of these animals occupying buildings and feeding on humans will continue to occur because of anthropogenic habitat destruction.

Rabies is a form of viral encephalitis, transmitted through animal saliva, the virus first attacks nervous system undetected by the immune system. Rabies cases in animals have increased from 1990 to present day. Vaccination is available and can be administered in a dose of three injections over a period of 5 weeks and provides protection for three years.

If you are bitten by a wild animal, it is still necessary to have a post bite vaccine although you will not need the rabies immunoglobin injection unless you haven’t been administered the pre-travel vaccination. The Brazillian government should consider providing its people with immediate access to Rabies vaccinations.

Source : London Metro , Thursday 3rd November 2005
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