Chapter 149: Chapter 715: Respecting Nature is Protecting Ourselves
The host nodded and said, "Eating wild animals harms both others and ourselves!"
He then looked through his notes and found a question: "Someone here asks, why are bats becoming rarer and harder to see?"
Listening to the conversation, many viewers reminisced about their childhood memories of bats!
They were surprised to realize that bats, once common, seemed to have disappeared over time.
Wang Yan replied, "The reasons are quite complex!"
After organizing his thoughts, he explained, "Firstly, habitat destruction and fragmentation are major issues faced by all wildlife.
Bats are among the most adaptable mammals to their environment, which is why they used to be common. However, human impact on natural environments has become so significant that many habitats are no longer suitable for them.
Bats typically roost in caves, abandoned mines, tree hollows, and some abandoned buildings. Tourism development in many caves has greatly reduced their distribution. This is a primary reason. Some bats roost in abandoned mines, which may be closed or backfilled, while urban development demolishes ruins, and deforestation removes dead trees used by bats, leading to their mass deaths.
Bats are social animals. If their habitat becomes smaller or fragmented, it cannot support long-term population survival. This can also isolate their roosting and hibernation areas, preventing normal hibernation and causing population declines.
Additionally, there are many misconceptions about bats, leading to their mass extermination.
In South America, for example, people have tried to prevent rabies by poisoning vampire bats and even using explosives to destroy their caves. This not only killed the vampire bats but also other bat species sharing the habitat.
Using insecticides to kill them during hibernation or disturbing them during hibernation can awaken them prematurely, causing them to exhaust their fat reserves and die of starvation before spring.
Persistent insecticides are also a major threat. The toxins accumulated in bats' bodies can affect the nervous system development of young bats, leading to high mortality rates and severely impacting population numbers, which may take decades to recover.
Another factor is the microclimate changes in their habitats. Temperature changes are crucial, especially for female bats and their young during the lactation period. For instance, in the summer of 1974, cold weather in Indiana, USA, extended the growth period of a bat colony's young by two weeks, delaying their migration by three weeks and affecting their winter fat reserves, leading to mass deaths.
Moreover, the microenvironment of their habitats determines insect abundance. If the microenvironment is unsuitable for insect growth, bats may die from lack of food.
Global warming and increasing climate anomalies bring various unseen impacts."
The audience listened attentively to Wang Yan's explanation, impressed by his vast knowledge and numerous examples and data.
This sparked lively discussions among family and friends.
"Who knew global warming affects bats too?"
"The weather is indeed strange. It usually cools down around October, but this year, it's mid-November, and it's just getting cold."
"Isn't warming good for bats?"
"Our warming might mean extreme cold elsewhere! Didn't you hear that climate affects insect growth too? Nature is so complex and interconnected; changes can't be explained in a few words."
"If bats play such an important ecological role, habitat destruction might have negative environmental impacts."
"I haven't noticed any such impact."
"Suddenly, it feels dangerous... Could this be nature's warning to us?"
"We should seriously reflect on the damage we've done to Earth over the years! We need to protect their habitats and stop destroying the natural environment!"
The person saying this might not realize that this is just the beginning, and there's a long way to go.
The host asked, "Why aren't bats afraid of viruses?"
Wang Yan explained, "Bats are remarkable animals. During flight, their metabolic rate increases 15-16 times, like an engine, generating more heat, with body temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius.
Viruses that infect mammals prefer environments around 36-37 degrees. When humans get infected, fever is an immune response to fight the virus. Bats' body temperature of 40 degrees makes it hard for most viruses to survive.
Viruses that do survive are tough. The high metabolism also damages DNA, so bats have evolved strong DNA repair mechanisms."
Fang Ye smiled, "So, bats actually hold many valuable secrets. If humans can understand them better, we might find keys to fighting viruses."
Wang Yan nodded, "They indeed have significant medical research value, not just for viruses. Proteins extracted from vampire bat saliva dissolve blood clots faster than some clinical drugs."
The two continued answering various audience questions!
It was evident that people's attitudes towards environmental and wildlife protection had significantly changed, with many eager to learn more.
Previously, they might have just paid lip service, not thinking it affected their lives. Whether protecting or poaching wildlife, they felt it had nothing to do with them in the city.
But now, they were willing to learn and understand more, their awareness greatly heightened.
If they saw someone selling wild animals in the market, they would immediately call the authorities.
As the show was about to end, the host summarized, "Bats may look ugly and carry viruses, but they play crucial roles in the ecosystem, maintaining ecological balance. We hope people will fear bats less and understand them more objectively.
The right approach to bats and other wildlife is to keep our distance. Respecting nature is protecting ourselves."
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