Tag

Bats

All articles tagged with #bats

public-health5 days ago•6 min saved

Bats, borders and bushmeat: why Ebola keeps flaring in the DRC

Public-health researcher James Baguma explains that the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC is likely driven by bat-to-human spillover in a landscape of intense wildlife–people interaction—hunting, bushmeat markets, and bats entering homes—coupled with porous borders and cross-border movement with Uganda. Reducing risk hinges on trusted local leaders and women’s groups delivering locally resonant messages about safer practices around bats and wildlife contact.

via Nature|

#bats #drc #ebola

science1 month ago•6 min saved

Uganda cave cam reveals bats, leopards, and people shaping Marburg spread

Camera-trap footage from Python Cave in Uganda shows 10 species feeding on Egyptian fruit bats that carry Marburg virus, including what may be the first documented case of a leopard catching live bats. The study also recorded more than 200 human visitors to the cave during the four-month filming period, despite warnings about Marburg. The findings illustrate how cave exposure remains a key driver of Marburg outbreaks and offer clues about potential intermediate hosts and transmission routes between bats and humans.

via Nature|

#bats #camera-traps #disease-transmission

environment1 month ago•4 min saved

Nigerian ecologist wins Goldman Prize for community-led bat conservation

Nigerian ecologist Iroro Tanshi wins the Goldman Environmental Prize for leading a community-driven effort to protect endangered short-tailed roundleaf bats in Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary by preventing wildfires and reshaping local attitudes toward bats through education; the initiative has reduced wildfire risk from 2022 to May 2025, and Tanshi, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington, highlights the global relevance of her work as all six 2026 prize laureates are female.

via BBC|

#bats #conservation #environment

environment1 month ago•8 min saved

Nighttime Bats Over Your Yard Signal a Healthy Ecosystem and Pest Control

Nighttime bats circling yards indicate abundant insects and provide natural pest control through echolocation; urban bats help reduce crop damage and pesticide use, with Brazilian studies citing about $390–$391 million in annual savings, while rabies risk remains under 1% and bat houses support conservation.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#agriculture #bats #echolocation

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Mosquito-delivered vaccines offer potential to shield bats from deadly viruses

Lab studies show mosquitoes carrying Nipah or rabies vaccines can inoculate bats (and mice), triggering neutralizing antibodies and protection in some models; researchers also explored saline drinking stations to deliver vaccines to fruit bats. While results are promising, experts caution about ethical, ecological, and logistical hurdles before real-world use.

via Nature|

#bats #mosquitoes #nipah-virus

world3 months ago•6 min saved

Nipah virus cases in West Bengal spark cautious global health watch

Two Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, India have triggered cautious monitoring: Nipah is a deadly zoonotic virus carried by fruit bats and can spread to people via contaminated products or close contact, but the WHO currently sees low national/global risk; there is no approved vaccine yet, though vaccines and antibody trials are underway; outbreaks are seasonal and linked to bat behavior and habitat loss, and prevention emphasizes avoiding bat exposure, boiling raw date palm sap, and strict biosecurity and PPE, with the current cases contained through rapid tracing and isolation.

via MedicalNewsToday|

#bats #india #nipah-virus

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Texas Bat Breaks Level-Flight Speed Record at 100 mph

Researchers tracking a Brazilian free-tailed bat in Texas found it can reach up to 100 mph in level flight, making it the fastest flying mammal and faster than swift or albatross in straight-line flight. Using a radio tag and a Cessna following the bat, they observed wind-driven speed adjustments and pauses that indicate occasional gliding, challenging the view that bats are aerodynamically inferior.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#bats #brazilian-free-tailed-bat #flight-speed

health4 months ago•16 min saved

Tennessee Faces a Deadly Histoplasmosis Cluster Tied to Bat-Soiled Soil

Health officials in middle Tennessee report at least 36 histoplasmosis cases since last fall, with a possible related death; the source hasn’t been identified. Histoplasmosis is caused by inhaling Histoplasma spores found in soil rich with bird or bat droppings, and it’s not transmitted person-to-person. The cluster has prompted warnings for clinicians to consider histoplasmosis in patients with unexplained fever or respiratory illness, with past outbreaks linked to bat caves and bat guano use; investigators are continuing to search for the source.

via gizmodo.com|

#bats #fungus #health

science4 months ago•15 min saved

Bats on a Remote Island Reveal Real-World Brain Compass

Researchers tracked brain activity of Egyptian fruit bats on a remote island to understand how head-direction cells form an internal compass. Using implanted microwires and wireless recording, the team found that, as the bats learned the island, their head-direction cells stabilized to precise directions anchored to landmarks, supporting a global compass model tied to the environment rather than magnetic or celestial cues. The work highlights the value of wild, real-world studies for navigation research and suggests humans may share a similar directional system.

via Quanta Magazine|

#bats #head-direction-cells #naturalistic-experiment

environment4 months ago•1 min saved

North London's Bat Woman Describes Otherworldly Encounters

Cindy Blaney, a senior ranger and bat expert in Highgate Wood, North London, shares her passion for bats through night walks and surveys, highlighting their often-misunderstood role in the ecosystem and her efforts to study and protect them.

via The New York Times|

#bats #conservation #environment

environment4 months ago•2 min saved

Researchers Warn of Unintended Effects of City Lights on Human Behavior

A study reveals that artificial city lights cause bats to take longer, energy-expensive detours to avoid illuminated areas, highlighting the negative impact of light pollution on nocturnal wildlife and emphasizing the need for reducing artificial lighting in urban planning.

via The Cool Down|

#artificial-lighting #bats #environment

health6 months ago•2 min saved

Rising Rabies Cases in Southern California Bats Prompt Health Warnings

Health officials in Riverside County warn residents about an increase in rabid bats, urging caution, vaccination of pets, and immediate medical attention if bitten, as rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.

via Patch|

#bats #health #public-health

science7 months ago•2 min saved

North American Bats Glow Green Under UV Light, Mystery Remains

A study from the University of Georgia found that several North American bat species naturally glow green under UV light, a trait likely inherited from a common ancestor, though its current function remains unknown.

via ScienceAlert|

#bats #bioluminescence #evolution

science7 months ago•3 min saved

Bats Capture and Consume Migratory Birds in Midair

Scientists captured a rare recording of Europe's largest bat species, the greater noctule, hunting, killing, and eating a robin mid-flight at high altitude, revealing a previously underestimated predatory behavior in bats. The study highlights the bat's stealth approach and ability to consume prey during flight, contributing to understanding of bat-bird interactions and natural predation.

via The Guardian|

#bats #bird-predation #europe

science7 months ago•0 min saved

Bats Hunt and Eat Birds Midair, Revealing a Fierce Predatory Behavior

Scientists have documented for the first time a bat, specifically the greater noctule bat in Europe, catching and eating a bird in midair during migration, revealing an unexpected predator of high-altitude migrating birds.

via The New York Times|

#bats #greater-noctule-bat #high-altitude