Education
Why do Bats Have a Bad Reputation?
Analyzing popular bat-related concerns
A tawny rabbit scampers through a grassy field, sniffing the ground as the camera zooms out to reveal a massive St. Bernard. The dog wags its tail in anticipation. A chase begins and the rabbit leads the dog to the shrubby edge of a field before diving into a burrow. The dog buries its head inside the burrow and barks in frustration. The ceiling of this cavernous warren is littered with bats. They take flight, screaming and one chomps down on the dog’s nose with short and sharp teeth.
Horror fans may recognize what I have just described as the opening sequence to Lewis Teague’s 1983 adaptation of Cujo by Stephen King (1). A rabid bat bites a large but docile domestic dog and transforms him into a ferocious beast. It is a pet owner’s worst nightmare and one of many reasons why humans feel animosity to these tiny nocturnal mammals. But have you ever wondered, are bats really at a higher risk of transmitting diseases than other wild mammals?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has been collecting data on rabies nationally in the United States since the 1940’s (2)…
