Bat out of the cave: Mimi villagers caught between tradition and science

[caption id="attachment_281737" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Mimi villagers with their ‘bat harvest’ this year. Out of three caves, they have harvested two already.[/caption] Our Reporter Dimapur, Nov. 7 (EMN): Bats are known to be carriers of multiple human infecting viruses and a recent research by scientists has led to the discovery of an Ebola-like virus, which is a filovirus found in bats in Mimi village of Kiphire district in Nagaland. Mimi village has been known for its traditional bat-hunting and eating rituals for a very long time now, and according to reports, researchers, together with Ian Mendenhall from Singapore, Pilot Dovih and Uma Ramakrishnan from Bangalore’s Nationwide Centre for Organic Sciences, analysed blood serum samples from bats hunted by individuals in Mimi village. “We report the presence of filovirus (e.g. ebolavirus, marburgvirus and dianlovirus) reactive antibodies in both human (bat hunters) and bat populations in Northeast India, a region with no historical record of Ebola virus disease,” wrote the scientists in their research report. They further noted that out of 85 human serum samples taken from the villagers, five contained antibodies. “This meant there was proof of immune response in opposition to three completely different filoviruses,” read the report. The Bomrr clan of Mimi village in particular has practiced this ritual for many generations. The secretary of the Bomrr clan, Y Makezho told Eastern Mirror on Thursday that every October this festival is celebrated in the villages. “The clan has been practicing the hunting and eating of bats for centuries now and we have not faced any life-threatening disease as such,” said Makezho. He did agree that after the scientists came and discovered the virus, some initiatives ‘should be there in the system’ to avoid severe outcome. “We have invited Wildlife and Forest departments many times as we are also concerned for the environment but nothing has come up so far,” shared Makezho. Depending on weather conditions, the clan goes to the caves infested with bats and smoke them out after performing rituals, informed Makezho, adding that dry season is better for this to take place. “Even if bats are not there we go and celebrate the festival,” said Makezho. He was of the view that the practice is more do to with merry-making among members of the clan. It was also reported that in 1980, there was an epidemic that claimed 82 lives in Mimi village. Back then, the cause was attributed to ‘malaria typhoid’.