E-commerce platforms are exacerbating the wildlife crisis. Recent research shows that major e-commerce platforms like Etsy and eBay are serving as conduits for the trade of the Painted Woolly Bat (Kerivoula picta). This wild bat, found in South and Southeast Asia, has vibrant orange wings and dark bat-like imagery, making it a popular decoration for Halloween, Christmas, and other dark gothic festivities. The surge in demand may be driving more hunters into the jungle to capture it.
Painted bats are native to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and China. Their dark appearance paired with bright orange colors makes them a popular Halloween and Gothic decoration. Listed as "Near Threatened" (NT) on the Red List of Threatened Species, painted bats are not bred in captivity, and all commercially available bats are caught from the wild.
When discussing illegal wildlife trade, people often think of ivory, rhino horns, and tiger products. Few people are aware that bats are also illegally traded. A recent study published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research analyzed bat listings on online shopping platforms and found that American consumers' love for colorful bats is causing a decline in the population of these beautiful species.
The research team, comprised of experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the University of California, and the City University of New York (CUNY), also included Assistant Professor Huang Junjia of the Department of Life Sciences at National Taiwan Normal University. Between October and December 2022, they extensively searched eBay, Etsy, and Amazon for bat specimens. In just three months, they discovered 856 bat listings, approximately a quarter of which were painted bats. Etsy saw the most listings, accounting for 86%.
"This only covers three months, not including sales from websites and brick-and-mortar stores in other countries," said Joanna Coleman, the study's lead author and co-chair of the IUCN Bat Trade Working Group. "These bats are so rare that hunters may systematically hunt every one they see."
The study found that most sellers were located in the United States, with some claiming the specimens were sourced from Indonesia. Approximately 20% of product descriptions used the terms "ethical" or "sustainable," with some claiming the bats were captive-bred, died of natural causes, or were unharmed. However, the research team strongly refutes these claims as misleading.
The New York Times contacted numerous sellers, but only one, NaturalByJim, an Etsy seller in Ohio, responded. He said the bats were imported more than 20 years ago and had been stored in a freezer. However, such claims could not be verified.
Etsy responded that sellers must abide by its policy prohibiting the sale of wild animals. However, when further asked whether it would take action against sellers who violate the law, Etsy said it was the seller's responsibility to understand and comply with the law.
"This study demonstrates how American consumers may be unknowingly contributing to the endangered survival of these unique and beautiful bats," said Dianne DuBois, a scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
Unlike other bats that live in colonies, painted bats prefer to roost solitarily in leaves. They are relatively long-lived and typically produce only one young per year. Therefore, poaching poses a significant threat to their survival. The study recommends listing painted bats in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), formally prohibiting their international trade.
References：
UC Davis (July 16, 2024)E-Sales of a Wild Bat Sold as Décor Threaten Species
♦ The New York Times (July 25, 2024),Bats Were Already Struggling. Now They’re Selling on EBay.
♦ Dying for décor: quantifying the online, ornamental trade in a distinctive bat species, Kerivoula picta, DOI：10.1007/s10344-024-01829-9
♦ The Verge (July 29, 2024)Please stop buying taxidermied bats online
♦ Center for Biological Diversity (July 16, 2024),New Study Highlights U.S. Role in Driving Trade of Imperiled Painted Woolly Bats
♦ Center for Biological Diversity (May 29, 2024),Endangered Species Act Protections Sought for Painted Woolly Bats
Sources: Environmental Information Center
