> On each visit, vendors were asked what species they had sold over the preceding month and in what numbers, along with the prices (US$1:RMB¥6.759) and origin of these goods (wild caught or captive bred/ farmed).

It might be true that no bats were sold in Wuhan wet markets, but this methodology doesn't seem the slightest bit credible.

Imagine if you were selling bats (is that legal in China?) from a likely illegal source (probably illegal in China?). Would you give honest information about the animals you were selling, particularly knowing how criminals can be treated in China?

You might as well ask suspected drug dealers how much crack they're selling in schools: you'll get the same quality of answer.