Field in Focus: Linno Cave

Bats are important pollinators, but they can also carry infectious diseases. Wildlife veterinarians with Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Global Health Program are trying to help humans and bats live together more safely. Linno Cave in Myanmar is home to more than 500,000 bats. Their guano is harvested and used as fertilizer. That is important for agriculture, but it also presents risks. Wildlife veterinarians have been collecting samples from bats in the cave to test for viruses. They’ve discovered new coronaviruses from their testing, but it's not clear if they present any risks to human health.