The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), together with conservation partners such as WHC-member Bat Conservation International (BCI), have come together to designate 2012 as the Year of the Bat. The Year of the Bat was created as a way to celebrate bats’ benefits, dispel myths about bats, and promote bat conservation.
Photo (c) Bat Conservation International
There are approximately 1,200 species of bats worldwide, and they live in a wide variety of habitats. Although often misunderstood, bats provide many benefits to human societies. Bats eat many insects regarded as pests, including mosquitos and agricultural pests. Large bat colonies can also attract tourists, boosting the local economy. For example, the colony of 1.5 million bats roosting under Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas, brings in 12 million tourist dollars each summer. Unfortunately, many bat species are endangered due to threats such as habitat loss and degradation, overuse of pesticides that reduces populations of their insect prey, and white-nose syndrome, the latter of which has killed more than 5.7 million bats in the last few years.
As part of the Year of the Bat, partner organizations are holding events across the globe. WHC staff can provide information to certified Wildlife at Work and Corporate Lands for Learning programs on ways to use the Year of the Bat as an opportunity to celebrate bats on site and promote their programs. Programs that actively manage for bat populations are also eligible to apply for WHC’s newest partner award, the Bat Conservation Action Award.
For more information about certification and the Bat Conservation Action Award, please contact WHC’s Certification Manager at certification@wildlifehc.org.
