Unexpected Predator: Rats Prey on Bats in Cities

Researchers focusing on bat communication were shocked when their footage displayed predatory rat behavior.

Bats, known carriers of diverse viruses, including strains linked to global outbreaks like coronavirus, rarely pose a direct threat to humans. The pressing concern is the potential transmission of these viruses to humans.

During a study aimed at observing coordinated bat behavior, an unexpected scene unfolded: a rat ambushed and attacked a bat, recorded live.

Janet Knörnschild, co-author and a Berlin Museum evolutionary specialist, recalls witnessing the incident repeatedly, sparking questions about rats' capability to catch even flying bats.

Using specialized infrared technology, researchers documented a rat assaulting a bat within a dimly lit cave in northern Germany. This suggests that urban rodents are venturing into bat habitats.

"Urban expansion forces city rats into territories once secure for bats," Knörnschild remarks. "It's imperative to strategize on minimizing wildlife intrusions harmful to bats."

Despite bats' echolocation abilities, it remains puzzling how rats manage such feats of stealth. These invasive creatures, often found in proximity to tourist spots like one in Bad Segeberg, pose new challenges.

In efforts to explore if this is a widespread occurrence, Knörnschild's team surveyed Lüneburg caves, discovering similar predatory patterns and leftover bat remains.

Alice Plowright of Cornell University, an expert on bat viruses, highlights that if rats act as intermediaries between bats and humans, increased interaction could heighten the risk of disease transmission.

Though this study alone doesn't signal immediate pandemic danger, Plowright underscores the threat rats pose to bat populations.

Globally, bats face mounting pressures such as habitat loss and pollution, which jeopardize their vital ecological contributions, such as insect regulation and seed distribution.

Knörnschild's findings have led to a partnership with Germany's environmental research authorities to devise humane rat population control methods near bat habitats, fostering long-term conservation measures.