State of India’s Bats (2024–2025) Report

India being such a large and populated country, hosts 135 bat species forming its largest mammal order. Despite key roles as seed dispersers, pollinators, and pest controllers, bats receive scant policy or research attention and are facing threats like urbanization, land-use change, human-bat conflict, and climate change. Addressing how to shape conservation to benefit bats, humans, and shared ecosystems, the State of India’s Bats (SoIBats) project was launched. Created by 36 chiropterologists and speleologists from 27 institutions, the SoIBats report details pressing challenges and opportunities in Indian chiropterology, offering vital guidance for researchers, conservationists, funding agencies, resource managers, and policymakers.