It is rare for any species of pokemon to be universally loathed across cultural backgrounds, especially one which is not of the dark type and will not attack humans unless provoked. Nonetheless, Golbat have been demonized (quite literally, in many religions), used as a motif for villainy and terror (including in recent years by Team Rocket, which frequently handed out Golbat to its members) and become the subject of deliberate extermination campaigns. Their imposing fangs, wings, long tongue, and association with the night terrify people in a way which neither Zubat nor Crobat ever do, and humans have confronted this fear with bigotry and unthinking vengeance.

The environmental movement has made some progress in recent years at rehabilitating Golbat's image, but it is a long struggle with setbacks whenever a foul-spirited trainer uses a Golbat to commit crimes or puts one on their flag when conquering nations – never mind that virtually all pokemon are loyal to their trainers. Indeed, some have privately mused it would be easier to preserve caves if Golbat didn't exist; when they talk about the need to protect endangered cave pokemon, their opponents describe it as a breeding ground for Golbat.

Some would think that, because they can still be found in wide numbers in parts of some caves where most trainers fear to enter, this superstitious loathing has had little ill effect. This is not true, for Golbat did not evolve in caves, but were pushed there by human aggression.