Bats do not spread COVID-19
In several regions of the world various communities and governmental authorities have been culling bats in a misplaced effort to combat the disease COVID-19. We are sharing here notification of the Secretariats of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) regarding this topic. This information shoud help to inform public and to prevent this potential new threat to our native bat species.
Facts about bats and COVID-19:
1. Bats do not spread COVID-19. COVID-19 is being transmitted from humans to other humans.
2. There is no evidence that bats directly infected humans with COVID-19 in the first place. Scientific investigations are pointing to a chain of events that may have involved bats but most likely only through an intermediate animal.
3. There are some 1,400 bat species living in the wild around the world. Bats provide enormous benefits including pollination, seed dispersal and pest control, worth billions of dollars annually.
4. Many bat species are in trouble and need our help to survive. While the killing of bats will not have any effects on the spread of COVID-19, it would adversely affect the conservation status of bat populations.
Please do not forget – Without bats, it would be very difficult for man to survive!
And you should also know: All species of bats in Croatia are protected by law.
