Forced to eat bat feces, chimps could spread deadly viruses including a novel #Coronavirus to humans. Tobacco farming is driving apes to seek unusual food source, brimming with pathogens. 1/
When tobacco farms in part of Uganda nearly destroyed chimps’ source of essential minerals, chimps turned to another source: bat feces.🦇🙊
Tony Goldberg & colleagues published new work about the behavior & its implications for the spread of new diseases. science.org/content/articl…
Happy #BatAppreciationDay !
Fun fact: over 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers 🌸🦇
(Source: Bat Conservation Trust)
#Bats #Pollinators #BatDay