Read on Twitter
Anyway October is the PERFECT TIME to remind everyone to not buy bat mummies, bones, etc. 99% of them are imported from Asia, unsustainably collected for the oddities trade. Unless someone can tell you the exact zoological facility it was sourced from they are BSing you.
Anytime you see those little cardstock backings, with plastic stapled around the specimen, I can GUARANTEE they were most likely imported (and usually illegally).
Anyway articles 2 read if you haven't seen them. https://www.newsweek.com/thousands-bats-slaughtered-annually-asia-end-ebay-and-etsy-artsy-americans-681147
Here's some prime examples of how Etsy oddities sellers are full of shit. SO WEIRD HOW ALL OF THESE BATS JUST DIED NATURALLY, AND AREN'T FARMED FROM THE WILD. Also really funny how some of these sellers just copy/paste their descriptions for their farmed insects onto the bats.
Scientists: Hey this is unsustainable stop buying bats from Indonesia.
Oddities sellers: Ok but what if I DO buy them and tell people they were ethically sourced.
Oddities sellers: Ok but what if I DO buy them and tell people they were ethically sourced.
"These bats aren't farmed for selling purposes." WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY BE KILLED AND SOLD ON EBAY AND ETSY FOR???
So weird how they all have the same few set poses, same preservation technique, almost like there is a whole fucking business of farming wild bats for this community. :^)
Gosh can't believe all these bats were found naturally dead...and in perfect condition....
