title: Assessing human-bat interactions around a protected area in northeastern Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bats are key components to the Neotropical forests. Unfortunately, their bad reputation is a major obstacle in their conservation as it creates fear and hostility towards them. Understanding this reputation acquired by bats and studying interactions between bats and humans has shown fundamental promise when creating strategies to forge a non-antagonistic coexistence between both parts and in the promotion of bat conservation in areas with ever-rising human occupation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety people were surveyed from three villages that were situated around a Biological Reserve in the state of Paraiba; located in Northern Brazil. The survey was completed using semi-structured interviews addressing villager's knowledge of the biology and ecology of bats, their interactions with bats, potential medicinal uses, and their socioeconomic situation. Additionally, we sampled the bats that reside in or visit these villages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bats were often considered harmful, dangerous and carriers of disease. Bats were often connected to hematophagia, as well. The respondents believe that impacts such as the deforestation are forcing bats into urban environments. With this research, we were able to register one of the few records of bats in popular medicine in Brazil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The folklore and superstition surrounding bats can form an obstacle that affects their conservation. Environmental education is an important step in order to create a harmonious coexistence between humans and bats and to mitigate the impending conflicts between humanity and nature.
authors.affiliation: Programa Regional de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio-Ambiente - PRODEMA, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karlla Morganna da Costa
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rego
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Zoologia, PPGCB-ZOOLOGIA, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, CIdade Universitária, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. czeppelini@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Caio Graco
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Zeppelini
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Serramo Lopez
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Avenida das Baraúnas, 351, Bodocongó, Campina Grande, Paraíba, CEP 58109-753, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002685:Chiroptera; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005495:Folklore; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D012424:Rural Population; D013483:Superstitions; D055815:Young Adult