Bats: Between Fear and Passion

http://agora.forwomeninscience.com/index.php/2012/03/bats-between-fear-and-passion/

Bats have long suffered from an undeservedly bad reputation, stemming from largely unfounded fears.  Rabies, for example, is often associated with bats, and yet, over 15 years in the U.S., an average of just two people per year died of bat-related rabies.  Rarely do we hear of the services provided by bats: controlling pests and disease, pollinating plants, spreading seeds…  Threatened by habitat loss, bats are moving out of their forests and into cities.  Recognizing their important role, researchers aim to understand how they adapt to this new ecosystem and how humans can help.