Bats and belief: A sequential qualitative study in Thailand

Area of Science:

• Zoology
• Anthropology
• Public Health

Background:

• Bats are globally distributed wildlife with hundreds of species in Thailand.
• Limited documentation exists regarding human motivations and influences for bat contact in Thailand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate villagers' attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, and cultural contexts concerning bats.
• To document human-bat interactions across Thailand's four regions.

Main Methods:

• A sequential qualitative study conducted in ten Thai provinces from September 2016 to June 2017.
• Focus group discussions (FGDs) with 305 respondents to gather data on bat contact and related beliefs.

Main Results:

• 46.6% of respondents reported contact with bats through activities like hunting, eating, and guano collection.
• Regional differences in bat consumption were observed, with Northern and Northeastern villagers eating bats, unlike those in the Central region.
• Ethnic groups like Blu and Thai Dum showed higher contact and consumption rates compared to Thais.

Conclusions:

• Human-bat interactions in Thailand are influenced by occupation, bat species, habitat, beliefs, and cultural contexts.
• Findings provide essential data for developing targeted education and interventions for bat conservation and disease risk management.