Bats & COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus of animal origin (zoonotic pathogen). While SARS-CoV-2 shares an ancestor with a coronavirus that has been found in a Rhinolophus bat species, this ancestry dates to 40 years ago – an eon for viruses with significant potential for mutational changes ¹. To date, the animal source of SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been identified.

Scientists are still investigating how SARS-CoV-2 spilled into the human population. Although approximately 60% of known human pathogens have a zoonotic origin, for these pathogens to spillover and become established in the human population, a series of ecological and physiological barriers need to be “crossed” ². Activities that lead to human encroachment into wildlife habitat and exploitation of wildlife species create opportunities for animal pathogens to cross these barriers and become zoonotic. Current phylogenetic and epidemiological evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 spilled into humans in a market selling live wildlife ^3,4. These markets may create opportunities for pathogens to cross several ecological and physiological barriers, as animal species, which would not be in close proximity to each other under natural conditions, are housed in crowded, stressful, unsanitary conditions and in close proximity to people.

Regardless of the viral origins, COVID-19 is now a human disease and the risk of getting sick is from another person, not from wildlife. You cannot catch COVID-19 from a bat.

No. Killing, harming, or harassing bats will not end the COVID-19 pandemic, nor will it protect people from infection. Because bats are not carriers of COVID-19 and play no role in disease spread, indiscriminate killing of bats will not save human lives and does nothing to help protect or improve human health.

Bats are natural hosts to coronaviruses, including some that are closely related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused COVID-19. Coronaviruses of bat origin typically require an intermediate host (a different species) before spilling into humans ⁵. Bats with coronaviruses in the wild are not a threat to human health if protected and left undisturbed. Bats and other wildlife do not spread the disease among humans—only humans spread SARS-CoV-2 to other humans. 

Bats provide vital ecosystem services such as pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal. Bats are important for global biodiversity and ecosystem health, and many bat species have adapted to living safely alongside us in both urban and rural environments, in our gardens, parks and even roosting around our homes, as beneficial neighbors.

Please help by halting the spread of misinformation around COVID-19 and bats. At Bat Conservation International, we work closely with a global network of experts to ensure we provide accurate information as it becomes available. Please check back on our website for further updates or follow us on social media.

We’re taking the necessary steps to protect our staff while minimizing any disruptions to our mission. These precautions include:

• • Making sure staff who will be working in close proximity to bats are vaccinated against COVID-19 and test negative to the disease prior to doing fieldwork. 
  • Adopting field hygiene practices, such as wearing gloves when handling bats, wearing KN95 mask when in close proximity to bats, disinfecting equipment that comes into contact with bats, and minimizing contact with bats.