Beyond biophobia: positive appraisal of bats among German residents during the COVID-19 pandemic - with consequences for conservation intentions

Abstract Bats are often considered to be objects of biophobia, the tendency to respond with a negative emotion, such as fear or disgust, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, existing studies have rarely compared both positive and negative emotions towards bats, leading to a potential negativity bias. This is crucial as emotions are important in human behavior, in relation to bats, for instance, in bat conservation-related actions. In two online surveys conducted among German residents, we aimed to i) assess both positive and negative emotions toward bats, ii) examine emotional shifts during the pandemic, and iii) explore how emotions, along with socio-demographics, predict intentions for bat conservation actions. The first survey was undertaken ten months after the official declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic (December 2020 - January 2021), when bats gained societal attention due to speculation about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the second twelve months later (January 2022). Overall, respondents held higher positive emotions than negative ones towards bats in both surveys, with no significant emotional shift observed. Positive emotions positively correlated with intentions for bat conservation actions, while negative emotions did not show such a connection. Although our findings might be context-specific to the German or European population due to EU legislation protecting bats and their habitats, they highlight the nuanced and complicated emotions that can be associated with certain species. Understanding these emotions can guide targeted conservation strategies and public outreach. Our results caution against overly generalizing biophobia discussions in conservation.