Orange Bat is Being Sold on eBay and Etsy

The painted wooly bat (Kerivoula picta), native to Asia, faces a precarious future due to its popularity as a decorative ornament. Characterized by its bright orange fur and intricate wing patterns, the painted wooly bat has become a sought-after item on online platforms like Etsy and eBay. Shockingly, a recent study identified 215 listings specifically offering these bats, totaling 284 individuals. This exploitation poses a severe threat to their already vulnerable population.

“These bats are not from the United States, but they’re being sourced from across Asia and then brought here and used as décor,” explained Nistara Randhawa, co-leading author of the study and UC Davis data scientist.  Painted wooly bats are slow to reproduce, with adults living up to 10 years and producing only one offspring at a time. Their natural camouflage against dried leaves in Asian forests underscores their ecological importance. Despite being listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, inadequate surveys have hindered comprehensive Conservation efforts.

The study also highlighted a disturbing trend: heightened sales during seasonal periods like Halloween, with Tennessee emerging as a hotspot for such transactions. Many sellers falsely advertise these bats as ethically sourced or bred in captivity, misleading consumers and perpetuating the unsustainable demand.

Joanna Coleman, co-leading author and assistant professor at CUNY-Queens College, stressed the urgency of protecting these bats through international Conservation frameworks like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Such measures could curb the rampant trade and provide crucial safeguards for their survival.

“Bat populations are declining worldwide, and K. picta is but one of the many unique bat species affected by ongoing global biodiversity loss. They are incredibly important to protect, not least because of the vital ecosystem services bats provide. K. picta should be roosting under the banana leaves of its natural habitat, not hanging dead on a wall as décor,” Randhawa emphasized.

Moving forward, the authors advocate for increased fieldwork to assess wild populations and robust enforcement of wildlife protection laws. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that painted wooly bats thrive in their natural habitats, free from the threat of exploitation for decorative purposes.

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