Even bats socially distance themselves if they are sick

Sensors for physical distancing at work 1:15

(CNN) -

While the term "social distancing" is a new concept to most of us, researchers are discovering that it is actually standard practice for some animals when they are sick.

A study published in Behavioral Ecology this week found that wild vampire bats naturally distance themselves from other bats in such situations.

Previous findings have already shown that animals tend to stay away from others when they are sick.

But the study researchers wanted to conduct a field experiment to confirm it in nature.

"In certain social insects, the sick can voluntarily isolate themselves or be excluded by their colony mates," the researchers said.

"This disease-induced social distancing does not require the cooperation of others and is probably common in all species."

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The Bat Experiment

A team of researchers captured 31 wild adult female vampire bats from inside a hollow tree in Belize.

Then they injected half of them with an immuno-defying substance to simulate a disease.

Meanwhile, the other half received a placebo.

The researchers then attached sensors to the "sick" animals to track their movements before returning them to the tree for observation.

The results

Over the six-hour observation period, sick bats spent less time socially connected with healthy ones.

That's exactly what health experts have been suggesting that humans do: social distancing.

Sick bats had an average of four fewer associations than healthy bats and spent 25 minutes less socializing.

Healthy bats showed a 49% chance of associating with others, while sick bats had a 35% chance of spending time near another bat.

"The sensors gave us an amazing new window on how the social behavior of these bats changed from hour to hour and minute to minute ... even while hiding in the darkness of a hollow tree," said study lead author Simon Ripperger. , it's a statement.

"We have gone from collecting data every day to every few seconds."

Social distancing bat