When Ignorance and Fear Leads to Stupidity and Cruelty

[Sukerkin]

Now that's the way to go about it :tup:.

 

[DavidCC]

Replace 'bats' with 'kittens', for example.

yeah but nobody's ever been attacked by a swarm of flying vampire kittens!

not that we know of anyway - nobody has ever survived long enough to tell about it!!!!

If kittens had wings and only came out at night do you think their reputation would be as sweet???






I'm just playing of course, those guys in that video need to be held down and given old-school rabies shots in the stomach.

 

[MA-Caver]

You know what... reading the replies since my last post had me thinking something....

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME ​

!
Just thought I'd let ya'll know that.

That which we do not understand we fear. That which we fear we destroy. There is no sense in what the college students did. I remember when I was a kid my dad worked for Orkin for awhile. He had to work on a house that had a colony of bats in the attack. A couple feet of guano, the smell was horrible, homeowner afraid of bedbugs and other pests being carried by them. Rather than try to kill the bats they called dad's company to take care of the problem. They covere up every conceivable entrance and egress for the bats around the house (you'd be amazed at how small a space they can crawl through) except one. When the bats flew out for the night they covered the last one up, cleared out the last few that were in the attic. After a day or two of trying to get in and failing the bats moved on to another roost.

Exactly what the university should've done... but since bats carry that stigma of rabid infested vermin it's not going to happen until (more) people are educated ... like you guys are. It's one of the reasons I'm thankful to Flatlander for giving me my own thread so I can do my part.

yeah but nobody's ever been attacked by a swarm of flying vampire kittens!
not that we know of anyway - nobody has ever survived long enough to tell about it!!!!
If kittens had wings and only came out at night do you think their reputation would be as sweet???

they'd probably would be thought of just as sweet because they'd still be awww cute and cuddly.
Bats unfortunately have their looks striking against them. Though I personally think some species of bats are gosh awfully cute and seen them upclose and helped a lady nurse a few back to health for release back into the wild. And on my many caving forays I've encountered these mammals on various levels. All of them positive & good encounters.

Bats suffer the same fear as the wolves, big cats and great bears of European and the Americas. They're deemed dangerous and thus must be killed. This thought process continues to this day obviously. I can tell you horror stories about mass murders of these wonderful animals that'd curl your hair.... if it isn't already. :lol:

 

[MA-Caver]

I'm working on creating a sterling silver fruit bat pendant/necklace. He's hanging upside down with his wings wrapped around his body, in a very "dracula" -ish pose.

They are pretty fascinating creatures, I just thought I'd try and capture one in my artistic endeavors.

I know, off topic, but thought I'd toss that out there...

Post pics post pics post pics! Love to see it!

 

[michaeledward]

While fishing before and just after dusk, often I will see bats making runs at my fly. I have always figured that the bats are smart enough, and sensory equipped enough to see the 40 feet of fly line attached to that little bug, as I have never caught one.

However, other fly fisherpersons do tell of tales wherein the evening bat is captured. Were that to happen to me, I would recall the days of fishing with hot dogs and marshmellows, and bringing in an eel. Some people are all in favor of eating eel, but I am in the 'cut the line and release' category. Eeewww!

I'd treat a bat the same way; cut the line and release; if I were to hook one up.

We did have some flying over our heads earlier this week. But not quite at our fly line.

 

[MA-Caver]

While fishing before and just after dusk, often I will see bats making runs at my fly. I have always figured that the bats are smart enough, and sensory equipped enough to see the 40 feet of fly line attached to that little bug, as I have never caught one.

However, other fly fisherpersons do tell of tales wherein the evening bat is captured. Were that to happen to me, I would recall the days of fishing with hot dogs and marshmellows, and bringing in an eel. Some people are all in favor of eating eel, but I am in the 'cut the line and release' category. Eeewww!

I'd treat a bat the same way; cut the line and release; if I were to hook one up.

We did have some flying over our heads earlier this week. But not quite at our fly line.

If you were to hook one that'd be a spectacular photo should you have your camera out. But if you literally hooked it... be careful and be sure to wear gloves (those tiny teeth are sharp and are designed to crack open tough ectoskeletons of bugs), also don't grip the little guy too tightly just enough to stop it's wiggling to escape (and most do stop after a brief tussle) then carefully remove the hook from the wing-membrane if that's where you hooked it. The wings are made from the bat's "hands" with elongegated fingers to spread the skin.
If you hooked it through the body, owch... Only thing I could think of is to take it to a vet or the zoo's hospital.
Up to you of course. But they DO their part to make your fishing experience a more pleasant one. Think of how many mosquitos and no-see-ums there'd be out on the water if bats weren't around to eat the excess.

 

[Flying Crane]

Post pics post pics post pics! Love to see it!

Will do. I had a successful casting the other night, but it needs a lot of cleaning and polishing before it will be ready to be seen.