WebMYTH: Bats are blind. UNITED KINGDOM. An old engraving of vampire bats described by early explorers such as John Stedman. Males are called Kelb-el-khela, and females are called Tarhst. In the third book of Moses in the Old Testament, bats were identified as birds, while the world-famous Swedish taxonomist, Carl von Linn (or Linnaeus), only reclassified bats as mammals and not birds as late as 1758 in the 10th Edition of his Systema Naturae [2]. The genus Pteropus was first described by Brisson in 1762 from specimens collected on the Reunion Islands. And because of this, many myths, superstitions, and folklore have been created about them. Bats are also seen as useful in Iran, India, and Pakistan because people are collecting bat guano as a natural fertilizer. Bats are truly remarkable creatures, and fossil records indicate that they first appeared in the Eocene, some 5055 million years ago [1]. Because they were four-footed, the mouse-like creatures first asked if they could play with the animals, which included a bear, a deer, and a terrapin. There are several instances where bats were killed in large numbers. In the past, people have believed that: If a bat got into your house it was a sign someone was about to die; A bat arriving on Halloween meant your house was haunted; A bat tangled in a persons hair will lead to eternal damnation; 5 Princes Gate Court, In Africa, bats were credited with high intelligence. In northern Guiana, Bat Mountain is the home of killer bats, and there is also a killer bat in folklore from Venezuela. Bats in the house mean a death in the house or is a sign that the occupants will soon be leaving. The number of Bats seen also has meaning. Sociocultural definitions of animals as good or evil have persisted throughout the history of human beings. Although bats already had long had a sinister reputation their addition to European vampire folklore came after that. People in Vanuatu consider Pacific Flying Fox Pteropus tonganus as their ancestor and claim to be able to communicate with them [46]. Now that we have looked at some of the most popular bat myths from around the globe, lets take a look at some of the superstitions that people have about these creatures. In Makira, Solomon Islands, local people value traditional currency for transactions, such as bride price, and use the canine teeth of flying foxes as a traditional currency [47]. It is a canine creature supposedly living close to the Sahara Desert in North Africa. According to the Serer myth, the creation of the earth began from a swamp. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Upset at his death, and possibly the ruining of the soup, she went straight to the king. They often live and breed in dark and unusual places such as caves, tunnels and lofts, leaving these at twilight the time between light and darkness in search of food. Similarly, the Ge tribe in Brazil moved through the night following a bat that looked for light toward which to guide the people (Figure 4) [51, 52]. In the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, spirits, devils, and witches had their general name Bitaboh, wood-goblins being specially called Ronga. All the bats were comprehended under the same name, especially the Yellow-winged Bat Lavia frons, formerly Megaderma frons, which flutters about from tree to tree in broad daylight [18]. Between Iran and Rajasthan, north-western India, there is the widespread public belief that if a bat lives somewhere in the house or hangs on the roof, this would mean bad luck for the owner [25]. The underworld is often associated with the dead but it is perhaps the association with vampires that is the most sinister aspect of bats. In many parts of Indonesia, people specifically consume bats livers and hearts as medicine [39]. Fruitbats are not the only bats to be eaten in the Indo-Pacific region. Among the rambling stories and folklore that make up the tales of the Australian Aboriginal Dream-time, there is one of a confrontation between Tjinimin the Bat God and the Great Rainbow-Snake. Besides hunting, the primary threats to bat species include habitat loss and degradation through logging. But where theyre used as an ingredient in a witchs brew, theyre no different to frogs or snails (also common ingredients). Half of the students knew that bats are mammals, but 26% believed them to be birds, some thought of them being amphibians (12%) or reptiles (11%); 37% disliked the bats, and 27% liked them remaining seeing them as indifferent. Prior to 1985, flying foxes were not protected in New South Walesin fact, they were regarded as vermin. However, consumption was influenced by religious beliefs, food taboos, and some myths about bats. Unquestionably, they are strange creatures, appearing as half animal and half bird, like something from a nightmare world. Oyot boiled the water and jumped in, but the soup, being boiling, killed him. In Isaiah 2:19-21, bats are connected with wilderness and heathenism: People will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. A long time ago, on the opposite side of the earth, the Aztec term for a bat was apparently quimichpapalotl, which means butterfly mouse. Why is it then that while in some parts of the world this beneficial creature is seen as a symbol of good luck and good fortune, in many societies it is viewed with fear and loathing? During this time eating food between sunrise and sunset is forbidden. In England, they also say that when someone is a little insane, they have bats in the belfry. Common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is the one reason for global Chiroptophobia although it is very small weighing about 55 grams and only occurring in central and South America. The Greek philosopher Chaerephon was called the bat, because he, like the animal, did not appear by day but instead hid and philosophized. This North American bat-like depiction should come as no surprise; it is merely another manifestation of the fear, horror, and superstition with which bats have been regarded down through ages [64]. The north coast of Peru is one of the South American regions where bat iconography is particularly prominent [51]. There are also numerous stories and legends associated with the bat. A noctule bat Nyctalus noctula, a long-eared bat Plecotus auritus, a Natters bat Myotis nattereri and a Daubentons bat Myotis daubentonii. Surprisingly little folklore exists specifically about Vampire bats, and Pre-Columbian erotic scenes do not involve bats although some folklore portrays female bats as alluring to men. Especially Western cultural associations of bats with evil spirits, which have been recorded in Christian tradition as early as the fourteenth century [68] along with current media sensationalizing bats and the COVID-19 pandemic, are major hindrances toward bat conservation [69], although there is no reason why public health messages cannot be consistent with bat conservation. The first two references are Leviticus 11:19 and Deuteronomy 14:18. Bats are mentioned three times in the Old Testament. The cave prohibits hunting and guano harvesting, while income from this ecotourism chiefly flows into local economy and enhances the sustainability and protection of the cave site (Figures 7 and 8). Further films and novels continued associating vampires with bats and this is still perpetuated in western literature, films, television, theatre, art and most forms of media. considers bat as harm meaning that it is forbidden as food. Oh - and he wrote this website. Interestingly, blood sucking has been attributed to bats both in Cameroon and Sierra Leone despite the countries being widely separated and when no such type of bat is found in Africa [19]. more information Accept. In Irian Jaya of Indonesia, former head-hunters considered flying foxes to be head-hunters too, as they took the head of the tree by consuming its fruit [37]. Since the fourteenth century, Chinese culture has regarded bats as lucky animals, and these blessing bat symbols have been prevalent in Chinese arts over the centuries [33]. An irrational fear of batsChiroptophobiaencompasses negative perceptions of bats as disease vectors, pests, or harmful creatures associated with devils and witchcraft, which represents an important barrier to bat conservation globally [27]. Therefore, let us give them the recognition they deserve because if bats were to disappear tomorrow, that would give us something to genuinely fear. WebLegendary creatures from African mythology. Zteve enjoys researching deep into the folklore, myths and legends that run through society and are part of our everyday lives. Bat Mythology There is a strong association between bats and death. Using two willing female teenagers, one with relatively short curly hair and one with longer wavy hair was done up behind in a bun, Cranbrook took turns in placing four different species of bat on their heads. They have wings and fly like birds (actually, in many ways better than birds). Bats are often misunderstood. When Oyot went home his wife had to go out on an errand. With the help of the bat and the flying squirrel, the birds won the ball game, with the agile bat scoring the winning goal. Bats have fascinated humans for millennia, and this cultural and spiritual relevance is reflected in the presence of bat symbols in Egyptian tombs from 2000BC [7]. In some versions of the myth, the old mice would climb to the top of a tall tree, and when they reached the highest branches, their tails would detach and grow into wings. These intensely emotional visuals have most likely led to the sinister image of bats that many people still hold, even though we now know they are valuable members of the environment! Often seen in movies and even written in books, bats have always been portrayed as mysterious creatures throughout the years. In the old days, people used to think that bats were evil, and they would often try to kill them. (Above is from a variety of African mythology not just Sub-Saharan, but it's also the tiniest fraction of it) 15 Interesting Myths And Legends In African Mythology 1. Bats are interesting animals and have been a part of human culture for a long time. When a truce is declared, the bat is rejected by both sides because of this deceitful behavior. Bats are symbolic of bad luck, especially when they call while flying early in the evening. Samoan people prize flying fox meat as a delicacy and as a gift to elders, but commercial hunting and export of the meat are culturally frowned. Recommended for you. So in honor of National Bat Week, we're clearing up some myths about the world's only flying mammal. American Indian legends and Aesop both gave animals human characteristics, including our failings, to teach moral precepts and the consequences of inappropriate behavior. Female respondents in this study showed more negative attitudes and a stronger belief in myths about bats than males. No content from this site may be used elsewhere without the permission of either #FolkloreThursday or the article - It is the largest bat found in continental Africa and was believed to suck the blood of sleeping children until they die. Sometimes, as with the myth, it leaves a trademark two-pronged bite on the victim. In two fables from Aesop (born ca. Bending over the soup to stir, but unlike the old joke where a diner saw a hair in their soup, she saw the dead body of her husband. Brief introduction to this section that descibes Open Access especially from an IntechOpen perspective, Want to get in touch? That is why Emionog the bat is hardly ever seen out during the day anymore. In Jamaica, the bat and the owl were very important symbols in Taino mythology and death. In this story, Jonayaiyin, a hero who battled the enemies of mankind, killed several eagles and gave their feathers to a bat who had helped him escape from the eagles nest. A folktale from Southern Nigeria gives a novel explanation of why the bat flies at night while highlighting its supposedly untrustworthy nature. In another tale from Aesop, a bat borrows money for a business venture that fails. These Goddesses of beauty reflect peace for a lot of people. With Gods permission, He fashioned the winged likeness of a bat from clay and breathed life into it. Do they really deserve this sinister reputation, or do they play a more important role in the world than feeding the dark human fascination for the spooky and the supernatural? The flying fox obtained his wings when he borrowed them from the rat and refused to return them. bat, (order Chiroptera), any member of the only group of mammals capable of flight. The complete extinction of Pteropus tokudae and the extinction of Pteropus mariannus on most inhabited islands is a direct result of hunting and habitat destruction. A substantial proportion (53%) thought that bats have medicinal value, but 35% saw them only as harmful creatures. Photo credit: Stan Delone creative commonWikimedia. Besides the above, hunting of fruit bats in the Indo-Pacific area is also supported by a market in Guamartificially maintained by the higher per capita income on Guam than on the source islands. Courtesy of creative commonsWikimedia. The study concluded that conservation-related education should be included in the school curriculum to ensure that students would appreciate not only the importance of bats but of all wildlife [26]. Most students wanted to participate in bat conservation activities, including some students who disliked bats. That burning incense over the site of a bat buried at a crossroads would help you acquire a powerful love potion. A detailed list of all the African gods and goddesses wuld be endless, but these twelve from the Orisha Pantheon are a good placde to start. By making research easy to access, and puts the academic needs of the researchers before the business interests of publishers. Repeatedly, the bats feathers were stolen by small birds, and repeatedly the bat returned to Jonayaiyin to ask for more. WebBat facts! In Greece the word drakn, from which the English word was Obviously, these bats were not the only animalsor even the only batsto use these now destroyed habitats. He told her he would make some tasty soup like Emiong had taught him for when she returned. In the West, bats are often perceived as evil spirits, Vampires, and harbingers of death, while some cultures across the Asia-Pacific region associate bats with good fortune. Bats belong to the order Chiroptera, not Rodentia; they're actually more closely related to primates than they are to rodents. Thereafter, humans and animals may have lived different lives; but like people, the animals still had tribes, councils, and ethics, and they played ball games. Finally, we discuss shortly the need of education to change attitudes toward bats. Because mountains obscured the western sky, Jesus could not tell when the sun set. Vampires. Home > They believed bats to be able to cross into and out of the unseen realms at will, making them spiritual guides. Myth 2: MicroBats are Small, and Megabats are big Bats are broadly divided into two categories, Megachiropetra which are Old World fruit bats, and Michrochiropetra that are echolocating bats. One reason not to kill bats is that female bats have breasts and are mothers like human females [25]. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode. Most respondents were less likely to value the importance of bats in the ecosystem, so creating a conservation education to connect people with nature is not easy. All rights reserved. Nowadays, of course, we know that vampires are not real and neither is the ability to turn into a bat. The bat serves as mentor of the night and is identified with Talking God, one of the foremost deities. 11022198. The bat said, Well look at me. In Malawi, negative bat superstitions caused recently quite disproportionate behavior when rural people in southern parts of the country killed nine people accusing them to be vampire bats [23]. New molecular biology findings indicate that there are two new Suborders, Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera, not coinciding with the earlier subordinate classification [5]. The diversity of South American bats is impressive as there are more bats, and more bat species, than in any other part of the world [51, 52]. MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES FOR 1994, Bats 101: High School Students and Field Research, Tips on Establishing Research Partnerships Between Schools and Wildlife Agencies, Motorola Supports Bat House Research Project, BCI Helps Protect Pennsylvania Mine for Bats, BCI-Sponsored Education Campaign in Mexico Leads to Cave Protection, Look for Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats. Flying foxesalong with all other native batsare now protected in Australia. Bat meat is widely consumed because it is considered more delicious than other types of meat. Experience the wonder of bats. Myth or Fact: Bats are Just Mice with Wings (slide to the left for answer) Text Description for Image Slider Bats - Disease-Prone but Beneficial, Reviewed: December 23rd, 2021 Published: January 18th, 2022, Total Chapter Downloads on intechopen.com. Bats eyes are small and sometimes poorly developed, but they work just fine. In Western Europe, there existed an unfounded superstition that if a bat fell on a woman (who mostly had long hair back then), the bat would become so entangled in her hair that the hair would have to be cut off just to pull it out. Bats play an important role in the ecosystem by eating large quantities of insects. In his book Bats (1939), G. M. Allen speculates that this association of bats with arrowheads refers to the California leaf-nosed bat (Macrotus californicus). In several other folktales, bats are banished into the night either as a result of some treachery or, as in the case of the Kanarese, because of embarrassment resulting from ill-advised behavior. A bat was once known as a flittermouse or fluttermouse, which translates to flying mouse. This phrase is derived from the German word for a bat, Fledermaus. The English term bat is taken from the Old English word bakke, which means to flutter.. 1, Suite 175 Austin, TX 78746, USA 512.327.9721 1.800.538.BATS. While the three species of true vampire bats (common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus, hairy-legged vampire bat Diphylla ecaudata, and white-winged vampire bat Diaemus youngi) are microbats, measuring just a few centimeters in length, it was the exaggerated reports from early explorers and adventurers that gave the public the image of these huge bloodsucking creatures.