To this date, scientists haven’t figured out what actually caused the coronavirus outbreak. Bats are among the main suspects, and several studies suggest that bats COVID-19 possibly originated in bats. This makes a lot of sense as bats have been the source of many pathogens belonging to the coronavirus family.

For example, a report by the National Health Institute (NIH) states that the viruses responsible for the SARS-CoV-1 pandemic in 2003 and the MERS-CoV outbreak in 2012 were both traced back to bats.

In the case of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, there is strong evidence pointing to its ancestral roots in bats. This is supported by the fact that SARS-CoV-2 shares a significant genetic similarity with a bat coronavirus, as highlighted by a 2021 study on bat host defenses.

Interestingly, bats are linked to approximately 54% of all known single-stranded RNA coronaviruses, underscoring their role in the spread of these viruses. And beyond coronaviruses, bats pose other public health risks.

Now, a new study claims that disturbing bats and their habitats could give rise to more pandemics, and it is therefore important to leave bats alone and undisturbed.

Bats are “virus reservoirs”

Bats are a major source of pathogens due to their unique biological and ecological characteristics. They are mobile mammals with a wide geographical distribution. And bats have exceptional immune systems which allow them to coexist with many viruses. This immunity enables bats to serve as reservoirs for a variety of pathogens, including coronaviruses. These factors, combined with frequent interactions between bats and other animals, including humans, increase the potential for spillovers to other species.

You’d be surprised to know just how many dangerous pathogens bats can carry. Beyond the numerous coronaviruses, bats also host rabies, Ebolaviruses, Hendra and Nipah viruses, Marburg filoviruses, among many other pathogens. All owed to the bats’ exceptional ability to carry dangerous viruses in their bodies without being sick.

“64 million years of adaptive evolution have shaped the host defense system of bats to balance defense and tolerance, which has resulted in a unique ability to act as an ideal reservoir host for viruses,” according to the 2021 study.

You’re probably starting to see where all this is going.

Human activities, including agriculture, mining, hunting, production, consumption, and sale of bat meat bring our two species closer. There’s also visiting bat caves as tourists, where humans are exposed to bat body fluids and waste. All of this exposure increases the risk of virus transmission from bats to humans, or bats to other animals (including pets), and then to humans.

In fact, according to the new study, by putting an end to all the above-mentioned activities and simply leaving bats as undisturbed as possible, humans can significantly reduce the likelihood of another pandemic.

“A global taboo is needed whereby humanity agrees to leave bats alone, not fear them or try to chase them away or cull them, but to let them have the habitats they need and live undisturbed by humans,” the study authors note.

The benefits of leaving bats alone

People don’t realize it, but bats are more than the only flying mammals. They support ecosystem services worth billions of dollars. They actively pollinate numerous crops and play an important role in keeping insect and mosquito populations under control.

According to a report from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, bats save the country three billion dollars annually just by feeding on insects. Moreover, fruit-eating bats are responsible for up to 95 percent of seed dispersal in some rainforests.

The authors suggest that leaving bats and their habitats undisturbed will ensure the smooth functioning of such valuable ecosystem services. Plus, it will keep pandemic-causing viruses under control.

“The global community missed its chance to stop SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 from emerging — how many more times will humanity allow this cycle to repeat? How long will governments ignore the science that is in front of them? It’s past time for humans to do the least that can be done,” the study authors said.

And the least we can do, for now, is to respect bats and their homes.

The study is published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health.