Fighting for Wildlife: Woolly Painted Bats

As an organization dedicated to conservation, Lincoln Park Zoo works to shine a light on species affected by wildlife trade—with the help of partners like Monitor Conservation Research Society. And according to international researchers from the Bat Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the trade in painted woolly bats is unsustainable and illegal.

A recent study published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research outlines a problem that hasn’t truly been quantified before. In 2022, the researchers spent three months monitoring the listings for dead bat decor on retail sites Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. They found 856 listings for search terms like “fire bat,” “painted bat,” and similar phrases, and about 20% of them—215 in total—were for threatened painted woolly bats. A majority of these listings, or 62%, came from U.S. vendors.

The Trade in Painted Woolly Bats

Many retail listings examined in the study were for framed, taxidermied animals, and commonly contained words that implied they were ethically sourced or sustainable—which isn’t true.

Painted woolly bats, from southeastern Asian countries, are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN and are especially vulnerable to trafficking (like many bat species) because they only produce one offspring at a time and thus have a slow life cycle. Insect-eating bats are difficult to keep in captivity in part because they require flying insects as a mainstay of their diet and have not been known to breed successfully in human care. This means that all specimens of painted woolly bats on sale are taken from the wild.

This study, possibly the first comprehensive one of the ornamental trade in a bat species, found it impossible to find an exact count of how many of these bats were being sold online due to the idiosyncrasies of individual sellers and platforms. Clearly, hundreds of bats were being affected. However, any total count would probably underestimate the actual amount, especially since it’s not always easy to tell which species is being sold.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to determine if any particular item is actually part of the illegal trade, since authorities cannot know for sure where the bats are harvested and laws in other countries are varied. Most southeastern Asian countries would indeed consider woolly painted bat trafficking illegal, but laws are vague in some places.

As for the destination countries, such as the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do require a permit for the importation of bats. This trade would also fall under the supervision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Lacey Act. This law prohibits the sale of fish, wildlife, and plants that have been illegally taken, transported, possessed, or sold.

About Painted Woolly Bats

Painted woolly bats, or Kerivoula picta, have bright orange fur and wings that are black with orange, making them a striking animal that is coveted as decor, especially around Halloween. They are small, around 2 inches in length and just 5 grams or so in weight. This species of bat is native to countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. They prefer places with dense vegetation and generally live alone or in monogamous pairs. Known also as “butterfly bats,” they are named for their long, somewhat curly hair. They have large ears and eat a diet of insects.

While their wild population has not been estimated exactly, colloquial and anecdotal accounts indicate their numbers may be declining. In 2020, these bats were uplisted on the IUCN Red List to Near Threatened as a result of trade causing a suspected 25% decline in the global population. At the time of the study, it was one of the three most common species listed on eBay. The study authors worry that e-commerce is enabling the expansion of the market for these animals by making it easier for people to buy from home. 

Researchers Issue a Call to Action

Scientists are asking for more information about population sizes and dynamics to determine exactly how much of a threat the wildlife trade causes these animals and other bat species. They note that, as a result of news articles and other attention, the number of bats being sold on places like eBay was quickly reduced even before the study was published, so giving more attention to the subject in both traditional and social media may be helpful.

This species is not protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, or CITES, at this time. The conclusion of the researchers who authored the paper is that painted woolly bats should be protected and added to Appendix II of CITES.

“Clearly, steps to protect this species from such senseless overexploitation are urgently needed,” said Chris R. Shepherd, Ph.D., executive director of zoo partner Monitor Conservation Research Society and a co-author on the paper. “We strongly recommend that effective legal protection in range countries and consumer countries be put in place, and that international trade be monitored and controlled.”

Adding the painted woolly bat to CITES would help regulate painted woolly bat trade, allow for the collection of statistics on the trade, and support national efforts to protect this small insectivore. Appendix II specifically lists species that may become endangered if trade is not monitored and controlled. It also lists species that look similar to listed, threatened species and are therefore also in danger.

“Painted woolly bats should be flying free in their native forests, not nailed to a wall in the United States,” said Dianne DuBois, a staff scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, co-signing the sentiment in a press release asking for Endangered Species Act protection for the species. “I hope U.S. officials act quickly to protect these unique and beautiful bats so they can recover and flourish.”

Take Action With Us

By shining a light on unsavory trade and campaigning for legal protection of painted woolly bats, these researchers are taking action—and so can you. If you’re considering buying a product that comes from an animal, be a smart shopper. Ask for the origin of these products. Do your research to ensure you’re buying ethical, sustainable items that aren’t contributing to population declines.

Pause before posting animals or animal products to social media and consider if sharing your images might hurt the conservation outcomes of these animals. And spread the word. The more people know about animals like the woolly painted bat, the better!