BATS AND HUMAN INTERACTIONS: Why Do People Eat This Dangerous Mammal Which Transmit Ebola скачать в хорошем качестве

BATS AND HUMAN INTERACTIONS: Why Do People Eat This Dangerous Mammal Which Transmit Ebola

In parts of western Uganda, people eat bats for food, medicine, and cultural reasons and sometimes out of revenge. When bats destroy fruit crops such as guavas, some communities hunt and consume them as a way of coping with food loss, a new study in PLOS Global Public Health has found. The research, conducted in Bundibugyo District between November 2022 and March 2023, examined bat human interactions in Ntandi, Harugale and Burondo sub-counties. Using surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews with 344 participants, researchers found that bat consumption is also driven by beliefs that bat meat improves health, increases lifespan, boosts sexual stamina, or treats conditions such as anemia. These practices come with significant public health risks. The study found that 52% of respondents had high exposure to bats, through hunting, handling, bat droppings in homes, or children playing with bats. Nearly three-quarters of households reported bats roosting in or around their homes, with Ntandi Town Council recording the highest exposure levels. Exposure was significantly higher among households headed by men, members of the Batwa community who traditionally rely on hunting urban residents, and people living in incomplete housing structures that allow bats easy entry. Seasonal trends also emerged, with bat exposure increasing during the rainy months when bats move closer to human settlements. While many respondents were aware that bats can transmit diseases such as Ebola and Marburg, most said information was unclear and insufficient. Cultural beliefs continue to shape behavior, sometimes increasing risky contact with bats.