Perceived Public Health Risks Associated with Bats on a Southwest Indian Ocean Island

Risk perception is central to wildlife disease management and informs both public health and conservation strategies. Understanding perceptions of wildlife-related health risks helps public health professionals and conservationists develop effective communication strategies to foster both public safety and species conservation. Reunion Island is a Southwestern Indian Ocean island where human-bat interactions are common, especially with the urban-adapted endemic species Mormopterus francoismoutoui. Concerns about olfactory nuisance and respiratory health impacts resulting from these interactions make perceptions of bat-related sanitary risks especially salient. This study surveyed 768 residents to explore how general opinions and past experiences with bats influence perceived health risks. The mean bat-related health risk perception index (RPI) was 2.87 ± 0.03 on a 5-point scale. Perceived risk was significantly higher among individuals with negative opinions (3.14 ± 0.05) compared to neutral (2.95 ± 0.03) and positive opinions (2.56 ± 0.05; p < 0.001). A similar pattern was observed for past experiences, with negative experiences associated with the highest perceived risk (p < 0.001). Island natives (OR = 2.00) and social interactions about bat-related diseases (OR = 1.49) were the strongest predictors of higher perceived risk. In contrast, trust in science reduced perceived risk (OR = 0.75), while younger respondents reported slightly higher risk perception. These findings highlight the importance of social information networks and scientific trust in shaping perceptions, underscoring the need for clear, targeted, and evidence-based risk communication to promote coexistence and mitigate heightened fears.