Overview
- The Global Ecology and Conservation study analyzed infrared and night‑vision surveillance from 2020 to 2024 at bat hibernacula in Bad Segeberg and Lüneburg.
- At Bad Segeberg, scientists recorded about 30 rat interception attempts with 13 confirmed mid‑air kills and found more than 50 bat carcasses near the cave entrance.
- Footage documents brown rats hunting in near‑total darkness, likely detecting flying bats by sensing air currents with their whiskers rather than relying on vision.
- The authors caution that close rat–bat contact may enable spillover of bat‑associated pathogens into rodents, though no human infections are reported.
- Researchers recommend targeted invasive‑rodent control at key sites within a One Health framework to protect dense roosts and limit potential disease risks.