Experts advocate informed coexistence with bats to prevent zoonotic outbreaks

In the wake of recurring zoonotic disease outbreaks like Nipah, experts have called for a paradigm shift in public perception – from fear-driven narratives towards an attitude of “informed coexistence” by recognising the vital ecological role of bats. This perspective formed the core theme of the 4th national workshop on Bat Taxonomy, Ecology, Conservation, and Photography, held at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) from January 6 to 9.

Discussions at the workshop pointed to a significant gap in India’s current ‘One Health’ framework, which largely concentrates on medical interventions and hospital-based responses after outbreaks occur. Experts stressed that preventing zoonotic spillovers requires moving beyond reactive healthcare measures and actively integrating wildlife biologists into public health planning.

“We cannot achieve true health security by looking at humans in isolation,” said Balakrishnan Peroth, Head of the Department of Wildlife Biology at KFRI. “Bats are the second-most speciose group of mammals, yet our understanding of their natural history and disease ecology in the country is still in its infancy. Integrating wildlife biology into the ‘One Health’ framework is the only way to move from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention.”

Despite their diversity, research on bats in India is significantly limited compared to the Americas, Europe, and Africa. A major hindrance identified was the lack of funding and institutional priority. “While cutting-edge technology exists globally, the high cost of imported equipment and priority often stall Indian research,” experts noted. The workshop emphasised the need for developing low-cost, indigenous monitoring equipment to empower local researchers.

A key focus of research at KFRI is the Indian Fruit Bat, a species that lives close to people, often roosting in large trees within towns and villages rather than deep forests. This proximity, scientists say, calls for coexistence rather than conflict. “When a species lives alongside humans, the only sustainable solution is habitat protection without disturbance,” said Dr. Balakrishnan, who coordinates the Centre for Citizen Science and Biodiversity Informatics at KFRI.

Citizen participation is central to this approach. “We are empowering people to map bat roosts through citizen science,” he said. “That is how we convert fear of the unknown into pride in local biodiversity.” By bringing communities into the research process, he added, scientists are able to fill crucial data gaps while building public ownership of conservation efforts.

The four-day intensive programme covered a vast technical landscape. To ensure ethical research, sessions were held on IUCN guidelines for field hygiene and roost visits, emphasising the safety of both researchers and bats. Participants received hands-on training in various sampling methods, including the use of harp traps, mist nets, and acoustic monitoring.

Technical sessions delved into taxonomic tools for species diagnosis and the use of camera trap photography and telemetry techniques to track bat movements. A significant portion of the workshop was dedicated to disease ecology in bats, introducing researchers to the concepts, methods, and tools required to study viral loads and transmission dynamics.

Further sessions explored the complex world of sensory ecology, explaining how bats navigate using echolocation, and biogeography, which tracks their distribution across landscapes. Participants also learned specialised bat photography techniques, not just for documentation, but as a tool for behavioural sampling and recording natural history.

Kannan C.S. Warrier, Director of KFRI, who inaugurated the workshop, stressed that capacity-building programmes are indispensable for biodiversity conservation.