eBay Sells Slaughtered Bats?

Yesterday I got an alert from The Petition Site about bats being sold on eBay. Companies are snagging them from the wild and killing them, then selling them in glass frames. They are calling them "art," which as we know is in the eye of the beholder, so you can’t really argue with that part.

Here’s my question: Who thought that bats, the only flying mammals, which have an important function in the ecosystem, would make a nice trinket? I wanna meet that guy (and let’s face it, it’s a guy).

Bat 101

• The fruit bat is a pollinator and seed dispenser who finds all kinds of night-flying pests to be quite yummy. This decreases the need for chemical pesticides, and makes food FOR US healthier (cuz, you know, it’s all about us).
• Bat populations are on the decline because of habitat loss (hmmmm, wonder what the cause of the habitat loss is). They are the most endangered land mammals in North America.
• Some species of bats live up to 34 years.
• In China, they are held in high esteem as omens of good luck and happiness. (That one is for all of you who write me asking if I have anything positive to say about China.)
• In Scotland, your real estate value goes up if it’s found to house a colony of bats.

I found this lovely specimen on eBay, and it was just the beginning. I’m not sure who the target market is for products like this, but they probably sell best now because it’s Halloween season.

Now, due to the workings of supply and demand, the more demand they get for freeze-dried and other bats, the more supply they’ll have to, ahem, produce. I hate to state the obvious, but: Don’t buy them, and don’t let anyone you know buy them. But that’s just one thing you can do (or not do, as the case may be).

Here’s another: I’m not certain whether the Petition Site really works, but I was like number 4,500 or something on the petition to eBay to stop selling bats, and it’s worth going to the site just to read some of the comments. Regardless, there are many ways to leave feedback on the eBay site. I always prefer going directly to the business or person I have a beef with, rather than using the petition, because it takes more energy, is more personal, and I believe it generates more genuine accountability.

Go to Bat World Santuary, no matter where you live, for the most comprehensive info on bats, bat problems, and where to find a local bat rehabber, should you find an injured one.