The Decline Of Bat Populations Has Been Linked To Over 1,000 Human Infant Deaths In A New Study
Across the United States, bat populations have been devastated due to a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome (WNS).
It is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which grows around the bats’ noses, mouths, and ears. The disease was likely introduced from Europe and has killed millions of bats.
The first sighting of WNS in bats was in 2006 when people noticed that the bats in New York’s Howe Cave had a white, fuzzy substance growing on their snouts.
Bats are heavily relied upon to protect farmers’ crops from insects. But since so many have died, farmers have turned to chemical pesticides.
Now, a new study has found that the increase in pesticide use has led to more than 1,000 human infant deaths. Clearly, bats are vital to the ecosystem, and their loss greatly impacts human health.
“Bats have gained a bad reputation as being something to fear, especially after reports of a possible linkage with the origins of COVID-19,” said Eyal Frank, a study author and an ecological economist at the University of Chicago. “But bats do add value to society in their role as natural pesticides, and this study shows that their decline can be harmful to humans.”
Frank compared the effect of mass bat die-offs in areas with the fungus to areas that were likely unaffected by the wildlife disease.
Since the disease was first detected in the U.S. in 2006, bat mortality rates from WNS have averaged above 70 percent, forcing farmers to compensate by using chemical solutions to protect crops.
When bat populations declined, pesticide use increased by about 31 percent. Meanwhile, crop sales revenue decreased by almost 29 percent.
Michal – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual bat
Next, Frank explored how an increase in pesticide use correlated with an increase in infant mortality, which is a common marker in studying the health impacts of environmental pollution.
He discovered that infant mortality rates in those same places rose by eight percent, which translates to an additional 1,334 infant deaths.
The study also demonstrated that chemical pesticides are not as good at keeping pests away as bats, and they have a negative impact on society in more ways than one.
Between 2006 and 2017, the estimated combined cost to farmers in regions affected by bat die-offs was $26.9 billion.
In addition, there were $12.4 billion in damages from infant mortality. Overall, the total societal cost from the bat die-offs came out to $39.6 billion.
“When bats are no longer there to do their job in controlling insects, the costs to society are very large—but the cost of conserving bat populations is likely smaller,” Frank said.
“More broadly, this study shows that wildlife adds value to society, and we need to better understand that value in order to inform policies to protect them.”
The study was published in the journal Science.
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