'Ugly' animals don't get the same attention as cute ones, study proves

[Guest Nicole]

BY ARIEL BOGLE2 DAYS AGO

Some Australian mammals are suffering because they don't conform to society's unrealistic beauty standards. Just kidding, but only kind of.

In a new study, academics reviewed research published on mammals living in Australia and found "ugly" native bats and rodents were significantly understudied, with the lack of attention resulting in negative consequences for their conservation.

The study, conducted by Trish Fleming, a wildlife biologist at Murdoch University, and Bill Bateman, a wildlife biologist at Curtin University, was published Monday in the journal, Mammal Review.

The pair reviewed thousands of scientific papers published over the last century and grouped 331 mammal species living to Australia into three categories: the "good," well known creatures such as kangaroos and koalas, the "bad," introduced species like rabbits and foxes, and the "ugly," such as microbats and hopping mice.

A great deal of work has been done on "good" animals because they are easy to spot and familiar to most Australians, who advocate on their behalf. Introduced animals receive attention for their serious impact on the environment. Native rodents and bats, however, tend to get left out.

These research patterns mean we can miss risks to the overlooked creatures. "Some species have threats we don't really understand," Fleming said, pointing to the case of the Christmas Island pipistrelle, a type of bat, which went extinct in 2009 without anyone really knowing why. 

Overall, the term "ugly" reflects the lack of attention paid to native bats and rodents, rather than their aesthetic qualities, Fleming clarified. Nevertheless, the public do tend to kick up a fuss about animals it thinks are cuter than others. 

"The Leadbeater's possum, for example, is a very charismatic looking animal and it has attracted a lot of community engagement," Fleming said. "That's been an important tool in making sure the animal is looked out for."

John Woinarski, a professor at Charles Darwin University, who was not involved with the study, told Mashable Australia the situation is typical of the global situation for "large charismatic fauna." He pointed to the ongoing interest in elephants and rhinos over other African animals. 

"So much of our fauna [in Australia] is inconspicuous, small, nocturnal and lives in remote areas," he said. "We know diddly squat about a lot of species."

In Australia, many people lump native rodents and bats in with unwanted vermin, but in fact, some of these creatures are of extreme value to Australia's ecology. "Microbats are good at diminishing mosquitos, for example," he said.

Fleming hopes the study sparks discussion about the need for more conservation funding, generally. "Australia has had the worst track record of any country in the world for species extinctions," she said. "Out of sight out of mind captures exactly what's happening to those animals."

Woinarski agreed: "There is bias, but the whole pie itself is too small." 

Conservation is largely about making our environment more familiar to us, he explained. "Scientists have to be better at communicating the wonder and beauty of even the most obscure creature," he added.

In the meantime, listicles about the endearing qualities of microbats may be just what Australia needs. Watch this space. 

Source: http://mashable.com/2016/03/07/ugly-mammals-australia/#SMOed5GIWgqN