Bat Conservation International (BCI) is a global nonprofit group that works to protect bats and their homes by using conservation, education, and research methods.

BCI was created in 1982 by bat biologist Merlin Tuttle, who was the leader of the organization until he retired in 2009. Since it was started, BCI has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and many national and international groups, both government and nonprofit. The organization has published materials, held workshops, offered scholarships, conducted research, and completed projects focused on specific areas in the United States and other countries. BCI has 30 employees, including biologists, educators, and administrators, and its members are in 60 countries.

Conservation strategies

Bat Conservation International (BCI) uses 10 important strategies to protect bats and their habitats. These strategies include: 1) Speeding up scientific research 2) Stopping species from going extinct 3) Protecting areas with many different bat species 4) Keeping large groups of bats safe 5) Working with groups around the world 6) Solving problems that affect many species in many places 7) Encouraging local communities to help protect bats 8) Creating and following rules to protect bats 9) Improving important tools and technology 10) Supporting future leaders in conservation work.

BCI helps fund research to reduce harm to bat populations. Some problems they have studied include:

• How uranium mines affect bats that live in them
• Ways to lower bat deaths caused by wind turbines
• Large numbers of bats dying from white-nose syndrome
• Damage to bat caves from mining guano (bat droppings)

Many bat species live in large groups, sometimes with millions of bats. Because some species gather in small areas, harm to these places can threaten entire species. BCI focuses on protecting these large groups, or "mega-populations." Ways BCI helps include:

• Testing how cave gates affect bats’ use of caves
• Buying land with important caves, like Bracken Cave, which is home to the world’s largest bat colony
• Teaching people to protect bat roosts from being destroyed, such as the colony at the Congress Avenue Bridge, which was once unwanted

In their 2014–2018 plan, BCI identified 35 bat species that are very close to extinction. These species will get special attention to help them survive. BCI also works with the Alliance for Zero Extinction, which protects the last homes of endangered species.

In 2022, BCI used accurate tools like GIS (Global Information System) to study old mines in New Mexico. They looked for areas with the right conditions for bats, such as proper temperature, humidity, and no predators. Protecting these areas helps bats avoid extinction. BCI has 30 employees who manage efforts to save 35 endangered bat species, three of which are only found in the United States. They work with groups like the Bureau of Land Management and use maps from the USGS and satellite systems to find mines. They use an app called Survey123 to collect and share data, such as temperature, humidity, and guano levels. BCI studied 785 mines near areas like Palomas Gap and Brushy Mountain. They evaluated 308 sites and found 8 areas where bats are active.

In addition to research, BCI helps shape laws to protect bats. For example, they opposed Pennsylvania House Bill 1576, which would have changed how endangered species are protected. In the future, BCI plans to work more closely with lawmakers to help bats survive.