Roots and Misconceptions
Bats, being nocturnal animals, are associated with various dangers and fears of darkness, with the centuries of prejudices and accompanying myths of Dracula, Halloween, etc.
Contrary to a widespread misconception, only 3 species of bats feed on blood, and these species only live in Latin America. Common ignorance often leads to misidentification.
At the same time, the fear of bats may be naturally reinforced by the natural startle response experienced by an unsuspecting person, e.g., when a disturbed colony of bats dashes out of a cave.
Often, people fear bats due to the possibility of contracting rabies, but only 0.5% of vampire bats carry rabies.
Read more about this topic: Fear Of Bats
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