Hoffmaster Eric, Vonk Jennifer, Mies Rob
Psychology Department, Oakland University, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48309, USA.
Organization for Bat Conservation, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2016 Jan 15;6(1):6. doi: 10.3390/ani6010006.
Public perception of bats has historically been largely negative with bats often portrayed as carriers of disease. Bats are commonly associated with vampire lore and thus elicit largely fearful reactions despite the fact that they are a vital and valuable part of the ecosystem. Bats provide a variety of essential services from pest control to plant pollination. Despite the benefits of bats to the environment and the economy, bats are suffering at the hands of humans. They are victims of turbines, human encroachment, pesticides, and, most recently, white nose syndrome. Because of their critical importance to the environment, humans should do what they can to help protect bats. We propose that humans will be more likely to do so if their perceptions and attitudes toward bats can be significantly improved. In a preliminary study we found some support for the idea that people can be educated about bats through bat oriented events and exhibits, and that this greater knowledge can inspire humans to act to save bats.
历史上，公众对蝙蝠的认知大多是负面的，蝙蝠常常被描绘成疾病携带者。蝙蝠通常与吸血鬼传说联系在一起，因此尽管它们是生态系统中至关重要且有价值的一部分，但仍常常引发人们的恐惧反应。蝙蝠提供了从害虫控制到植物授粉等各种重要服务。尽管蝙蝠对环境和经济有益，但它们却在人类手中遭受苦难。它们是涡轮机、人类侵占、杀虫剂以及最近出现的白鼻综合征的受害者。由于它们对环境至关重要，人类应该尽其所能帮助保护蝙蝠。我们认为，如果人们对蝙蝠的认知和态度能够得到显著改善，他们就更有可能这样做。在一项初步研究中，我们发现有一些证据支持这样的观点，即可以通过以蝙蝠为主题的活动和展览来让人们了解蝙蝠，而这种更多的了解能够激发人类采取行动拯救蝙蝠。
