NEW YORK, NY – A groundbreaking study from researchers at Cornell University and the Wildlife Conservation Society has proposed a revolutionary approach to preventing future pandemics: peacefully coexisting with bats. Published in “The Lancet Planetary Health,” the study challenges the common vilification of bats as potential disease carriers and advocates for safeguarding their habitats to reduce the risk of zoonotic spillover.
While bats have been known to harbor viruses, including those closely related to COVID-19, the researchers argue that disturbing bat populations through culling or habitat destruction may actually increase the likelihood of animal-borne pathogens jumping to humans. The study emphasizes the importance of minimizing human interference and preserving bat habitats as a crucial strategy for preventing future pandemics.
According to the World Health Organization, the occurrence of the next pandemic, labeled ‘Disease X,’ is deemed inevitable and only a matter of time. Dr. Susan Lieberman, WCS’s Vice President for International Policy, stresses the need for a paradigm shift in humanity’s relationship with nature, specifically with wildlife and bats. She urges for behavioral changes and preservation of natural habitats, citing the potential devastating costs of another global pandemic.
Lead author of the study, Cornell Professor of Wildlife Health & Health Policy Steven A. Osofsky, highlights the significance of global collaboration in addressing existential challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem collapse. The study proposes stopping hunting, eating, and trading bats, staying out of their caves, and preserving their natural habitats as effective measures to reduce the risk of another pandemic.
In essence, the study calls for a reevaluation of humanity’s relationship with nature and wildlife, emphasizing that the costs of implementing necessary behavioral changes are far outweighed by the potential costs of another global pandemic. The proposed strategy offers a compelling new approach to safeguarding public health and mitigating the risks of future pandemics by promoting peaceful coexistence with bats.