Alert: Concern Regarding Bats

[Sharon Faulkner]

Following is a link to BatWorld Sanctuary with some information about bats being sold as specimens in jars.

www.batworld.org/wall_of_shame/wardsnaturalsciencekills.html

This information was forwarded from Leslie Sturges, Director, Bat World NOVA to inform the caving community about this and hope that we can help to take action on behalf of our bats....If any questions you can contact:

Leslie Sturges
[e-mail]
Director, Bat World NOVA

Every year Bat World Sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates and releases hundreds of bats that might otherwise die. We also provide lifetime sanctuary for bats that have been retired from zoos and research facilities. Bat World is 100 percent staffed by volunteers. We are not state or federally funded. We are not reimbursed for medical treatments, food, or shelter. Our funds must come from the public we serve. Please help us save these wonderful animals by becoming a member of Bat World or making a donation on-line at www.batworld.org

[L Roebuck]

Bad juju

I was amazed at all the other occurrences that Bat World Sanctuary list on the Wall Of Shame

[Azurerana]

Putting Ward's Scientific in with people who collect and kill bats for mere display is in my opinion erroneous, unless the people who are doing so are animal rightists, who are against any use of real specimens in scientific inquiry.

For the most part, Ward's specimens end up in biology labs and departments, where they are used to teach future biologists about anatomy, physiology and other perfectly legitimate scientific knowledge about bats (and frogs, and fetal pigs, and kittens) and other numerous specimens, by furnishing students with the ability to both learn about the animal and learn to respect life by examining actual creatures, rather than computer simulations.

Part of the reason so many people no longer respect life, is they are always one or two removes away from death. Using real specimens removes that distance, and in the proper atmosphere, reminds students that all creatures, including themselves are mortal--something you'd never get from manipulating bits.

In case anyone thinks this is merely academic-- my own mother donated her body to a local med school when she died, in the hope that some student could learn something from her which would help to extend life in someone else she likely would never know. I hope that happened, and from what I've heard of reports from that med school, it does.

There is a world of distance from something like that, or a student using a Ward's preserved, but real specimen, to people who buy a deceased bat in paperweight, or who are on some sort of Ozzy Osborne trip.

Yes, some wanton slaughter deserves to be on a Wall of Shame, but Ward's isn't amongst that crowd, IMHO. I'm sure Bat World does good work. But where did they learn about bats in the first place? You don't learn about fixing live bats by studying rubber ones.