Going to Bat for Bats
June 1, 2020
Long feared by many people, bats are being newly demonized by claims that they passed the COVID-19 coronavirus to humans, perhaps through an intermediate wild animal. But the Wall Street Journal (here, paywalled) introduces bat fans, scientists, and laypeople alike, to experts who reject this theory and cite the critical role these winged mammals play as bug-eaters and crop pollinators. Going deeper, one longtime defender has laid out for Issues (here and here, and in a new webinar) the scientific reasons why bats shouldn’t be blamed for the pandemic and how human actions are more problematic.