Bat Researchers: Please Pay Attention to Us After Halloween

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Rebecca, can we make Saturday be baterday?
http://snuzzy.com/wp-content/uploads/babybats.jpg

Why do people care about these stupid creatures? If they're going extinct then they deserve it because they dont have the ability to survive with us around or whatever else might be hindering their survivability.

We shouldn't interfere with the pace of natural selection, all it will lead to is weak creatures that are artificially propped up because we feel bad for them. Sounds a little like socialism doesn't it?

If they can't survive then let'em die.

They cant survive because WE ARE KILLING THEM. We care because they save thousands of human lives each year by keeping malaria and west nile viruses at bay. Besides they are so dammed cute.

@logical_atheist

they are an essential part of the ecosystem if they went extinct it would cause many problems

@logical_athiest, your logic is flawed.

A few thousand years ago, I might agree with you. But as it stands, we are especially dependent on our ecosystem being stable.

Imagine what would happen if all the bees went extinct (another current issue). Sure, it sucks being stung by bees. And sometimes I bet you might wish they weren't around. But bees play a vital role in pollinating flowers, which later turn into food. We'd probably have food shortages galore for a while, until we figure out a way to replace the function that bees serve.

You really shouldn't wish extinction on anything - you're just vocalizing your ignorance.

@moon born
What will happen to Caturday? DDD:
Ceiling cat won't be happy about this...

www.geekness.webs.com

tomcat: I know they're part of the ecosystem and are important, but then again, so were the millions of already extinct species that once lived on this planet. they died off and i dont see anything wrong with today.

bfouts: biological history has shown us that as a species goes extinct, a new one takes its place to fill that void over time and restores balance. For example...

when the dinosaurs went extinct, there was a lack of predators that allowed the mammals to flourish afterward. but over time, some mammals turned to be predators as their demand for energy increased and took the place of the dinosaurs, thus restoring balance in the predator/prey relationship.

I understand your example with bees and you are correct.(however bees aren't the only pollinating animals, like hummingbirds and butterflies.) I'm just pointing out that a void in the ecosystem will make room for new species to take the place of the species that went extinct.

Thank you for an interesting conversation btw. :)

Curious animal. So cute

@logical-athiest/you make good points-however, you are not being logical-if you see nothing wrong with today, then get your head out of the sand and look around-humans have not only removed themselves from natural selection (temporarly) we have put the rest of the planet's species at our disposal as well-not only do they have to survive natural selection, we decide if they will live or not as well/it is one thing to have a rare random event reset the planet with an extinction event, yet another for a single species to cause it-the late great Jacques Coustea summed up all the worlds problems many years ago...over-population...of humans/no other time in history has a single species had the power to decide life or death for nearly the entire planet/we have sadly proven that we are not up to the task

@tomcat46 - yah horrible unthinkable things will happen when the dominate of the species dies... just look at dinosaurs aye O_o

@logical_athiest, maybe you are an atheist, but there is nothing logical in your statements. First, bats are not stupid creatures. Second, we do interfere in natural selection and lives of Earthlings. As we interfere, we have an obligation to preserve what we are about to destroy because I am pretty sure that bats would face an extinction because of humans. If there were no humans, I am pretty sure that bats wouldn't have had problems.

This is the first time that I felt uncomfortable to be called an atheist. But it's good to know that there are silly atheist around, too.

@logical_athiest, maybe you are an atheist, but there is nothing logical in your statements. First, bats are not stupid creatures. Second, we do interfere in natural selection and lives of Earthlings. As we interfere, we have an obligation to preserve what we are about to destroy because I am pretty sure that bats would face an extinction because of humans. If there were no humans, I am pretty sure that bats wouldn't have had problems.

This is the first time that I felt uncomfortable to be called an atheist. But it's good to know that there are silly atheist around, too.

@logical_athiest, maybe you are an atheist, but there is nothing logical in your statements. First, bats are not stupid creatures. Second, we do interfere in natural selection and lives of Earthlings. As we interfere, we have an obligation to preserve what we are about to destroy because I am pretty sure that bats would face an extinction because of humans. If there were no humans, I am pretty sure that bats wouldn't have had problems.

This is the first time that I felt uncomfortable to be called an atheist. But it's good to know that there are silly atheist around, too.

@logical_athiest, maybe you are an atheist, but there is nothing logical in your statements. First, bats are not stupid creatures. Second, we do interfere in natural selection and lives of Earthlings. As we interfere, we have an obligation to preserve what we are about to destroy because I am pretty sure that bats would face an extinction because of humans. If there were no humans, I am pretty sure that bats wouldn't have had problems.

This is the first time that I felt uncomfortable to be called an atheist. But it's good to know that there are silly atheist around, too.

If you see nothing wrong with "today", I encourage you to watch the movies.... "Food Inc." and "For the Love of Water" (if you can even stomach knowing what you truly eat and drink)....then tell me if you feel the same way.

@swiper-quit trolling-no one could actually be as dum# as you and still find this website-let alone use a comp

^ lol troll ^

Momma bat's expression in the pic above:

O_O;

@logical_atheist/
"I'm just pointing out that a void in the ecosystem will make room for new species to take the place of the species that went extinct."

Assuming that actually happens (since most of today's extincts are the result of man's disregard for natural selection in preference to man's selection), where do I and my family go to live during the thousands of years necessary for nature to fill those niches (bats,bees)?

thehiker swiper; what a idiot you are bats eat millions of insects and pollinate a great deal of the fruits and nuts on earth(except you) I hope all the biting insects come to your house and your favourite fruit or nut goes away but you probably eat nothing but fast food and play video games ,it does not appear you read much you and others think you are the only thing that matters on earth it all matters and it will come around to you some day .

Dear all who have submitted comments to this article about Year of the Bat and what I have said about it last week in Denver,
First of all Rebecca, thank you for having written it! Did we say hello to each other in this extraordinary 40th symposium of the North American Society for Bat Research? I hope so, because you have done a great job. You have written an article about a species that many people are not aware of or do not care about. But you managed to make it interesting, exciting a lively discussion about bats. Please accept my sincere thanks for this. Never ever would I have expected that my short speech in Denver could produce so much feedback.
And now my reply to all the other commenters:
Thank you very much indeed! The simple fact that you have commented, indicates to me that you care, that you are not indifferent to what is going on in this world.
But to those who have argued that the extinction of bats and many other species is just a natural process that has always taken place at all times since this planet exists, I have to reply with highest respect for your beliefs or non-beliefs, this time you are wrong! The degree and pace of extinction that we are facing on this planet in past decades and right now is unfortunately not a natural process at all. It is purely man made. And please recall that we humans, believing in creation or not but believing that we are something higher and better, are at the end of the day just one species among all the others, no matter what we believe in or do not believe in. We are one family of living creatures on this planet that cannot exist without each other.
We survive or leave together, "together with bats" and so many other fascinating species. My kind request dear readers is: Please invest some more time in finding out yourself. Do some research. It is so easy. I am not your teacher. You are responsible yourself!
Thank you all very much again indeed,
Andreas
P.S. When I arrived at Denver International Airport last week, the border police officer as a routine question asked about the purpose of my visit. When I told him, he got quite interested and asked how I got involved with bats. Me being very tired after an eleven hours flight without sleep plus the 8 hours time difference just replied: "Oh Sir, this is a long story...". After having today received a picture taken of me in Denver last week, I now have to correct this statement. It could simply be, because I have big ears too... :-)