Bats in the province may be facing stigma fuelled by COVID-19 misinformation.
Horseshoe bats in Asia have been identified as carriers of a disease similar to the virus at the heart of the global pandemic.
However, Provincial Coordinator of the BC Community Bat Program, Mandy Kellner, says this is not an issue in BC.
“Bats in BC don’t carry that virus, and there isn’t any way to get COVID-19 from bats in our province at this time.”
The link between bats and COVID-19 remains unclear, with some suspecting an intermediate host.
This does not necessarily mean all bats in the province are safe, as rabies remains a primary concern when looking at human-bat interactions in the region.
Kellner expressed worry that bat stigmatization related to COVID-19 may threaten bat populations who are already vulnerable due to habitat loss.
She emphasized the economic value of bats, explaining they are massive consumers of pest insects before noting all bats found in BC are insect eaters.
More information, including the official statement dismissing the link between BC bats and COVID-19, can be found online.