People and bats in Fiji: perceptions and interactions

The management of wild bat populations often presents challenges in balancing the needs of biodiversity conservation and public health risks from zoonotic diseases. In Fiji, the most important recognized zoonotic infection is Leptospira, which was recently detected in wild bat populations. Five out of six species of Fijian bats are considered threatened to critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. This study investigates the perceptions of bats by people in Fiji and aims to identify and quantify the reported frequency and types of interactions between bats and people. In this mixed-methods study, 198 Fijian people were interviewed across the three main islands of Fiji: Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and Taveuni. Bats were generally perceived positively (63%, 125/198), mostly because they are perceived to be 'clean, healthy and tasty' meat sources (73%, 134/184). The majority of participants consume and come into contact with bats or with their urine, faeces, blood and saliva. Older adults, men and those who recognize that bats can cause harm are more likely to contact bats in Fiji. Quantifying these interactions and identifying other risk factors for bat exposure is an important step in targeting conservation efforts, community engagement and education, as well as determining at-risk groups for possible zoonotic pathogen exposure.