Fruit bats are also called bats with fox- or dog-like head. This flying mammal inhabits tropical and subtropical parts of the world and feeds mainly on nectar and various fruits. Unfortunately, entire colonies of fruit bats are caught and sold for meat at local markets. This is despite the fact that the fruit bats were demonstrable spreaders of Ebola and also an intermediary in the now very topical novel coronavirus (COVID-19). And this is not the first and last virus to be spread to the human population thanks to wildlife trade. If we move to Indonesia, specifically to the island of Sumatra where I have documented these practices, we find that the fruit bat meat is prepared as a meat soup, which is believed to treat asthma. However, any special healing effects of fruit bat meat have not been proven, so I am more inclined to the fact that a hot soup simply does well, whether it is chicken or fruit bat soup. In addition, some locals claim that fruit bat meat is smelly. But in a country like Indonesia, where the biggest hobby is to burn one cigarette after another, the bats unfortunately get into the sights of local poachers thanks to this superstition. Large trade of fruit bat meat takes place in Medan, the capital city of the North Sumatra province. Because fruit bat meat is one of the more expensive food, the price ranges from 18 USD for a live fruit bat to around 27 USD for killed and prepared one, so it is consumed mainly by the middle and upper class. However, even poorer people will catch fruit bats if they have the opportunity. The road from Berastagi to Medan is therefore lined with cages, where flocks of fruit bats hang for sale. Fruit bats in cages are placed right next to the main noisy road (as is customary for Indonesians when selling their goods) and they are fed once a day in hanging buckets or on a stick put directly into their mouths. However, the fruit bats are fed monotonous food without any access to water, so it is no wonder that sometimes you see a fruit bat at the bottom of the cage, which unfortunately ended its life journey prematurely. Fruit bats sold in this locality are imported mainly from the north of Sumatra, namely from the Aceh province. This is because almost all the local fruit bats have already been caught, so traders have no other choice than import fruit bats from different locations. But it’s a long way from Aceh, so it’s no wonder that a lot of fruit bats won’t survive the transport itself. In addition, locals face the problem that fruit trees, such as durian which is a local speciality and an important commodity for sale that feeds many people, cease to bear fruit. Fruit bats are important pollinators and seed dispersers and their absence in nature has a negative impact also on local farmers. But many admit it only when it’s too late and, unfortunately, some of them not at all. The fruit bats live in huge flocks, so it is very easy to catch all the individuals living in the area in a short time. In addition to buying fruit bats for meat, a modern trend, especially among the Chinese, is to buy fruit bats and release them into the wild. They believe that it will bring them happiness. Although it may seem like a noble deed, such fruit bats are released at the mercy of the environment, which they often do not know, are often injured and exhausted, and die slowly and painfully. In addition, due to the proximity of human dwellings, they could become infected with various parasites. Parasites will be spread further and it can be dangerous for the wild population of fruit bats, for which it can have fatal consequences. Notwithstanding the fact that if they are released into an area where fruit bats are still hunted, they can be caught again and the whole carousel is repeated until they are used as meat in soup or they simply die. Another fact is that if you buy a fruit bat, you increase the demand and this empty space in the cage will be filled by another fruit bat captured from the wild. It happened to me that I saw a group of tourists buying several fruit bats to save them. But it was explained above why it is not a noble “rescue”. The salvation is that you will not buy animals or consume them in restaurants as part of your “exotic adventure”. These animals, which are not protected by local law for animal protection, have a hard time due to local demand, so let’s not create demand from the outside.