them? themself?

[optimistic pessimist]

Dear all,

"Bats have a problem: how to find their way around in the dark. They hunt at night, and therefore cannot use light to help them find food and avoid obstacles..".

In the sentence above, why is "them" used instead of themselves?

Thank you!

OP

[Rover_KE]

The reflexive pronoun is not necessary here, as it would be in '. . .to find food for themselves. . .'

Rover

[billmcd]

Dear all,

"Bats have a problem: how to find their way around in the dark. They hunt at night, and therefore cannot use light to help them find food and avoid obstacles..".

In the sentence above, why is "them" used instead of themselves?

Thank you!

OP

You would have to ask the author. But seriously, an object pronoun is more appropriate here than a reflexive pronoun unless the reflexive pronoun followed a preposition as in ".....to help find food for themselves".