Welcome

   In 2002, representatives of 190 countries at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development committed themselves to “…achieving by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level.” (UNEP, “Report on the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (UNEP/CBD/COP/6/20/Part 2) Strategic Plan Decision VI/26” (CBD, 2002): www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/cop/cop-06/official/cop-06-20-part2-en.pdf). The “…2010 target provides the scientific community the challenge to engage in exciting fundamental science and to participate in what is likely to be the most significant conservation agreement of the 21st century.” (Balmford et al., 2005). The challenge is not only restricted to the global, regional and national levels, but a significant challenge for conservationists is at the local levels (communities and individuals), where the activities of these two groups, have the most significant direct impact on the status and conservation of species, habitats and ecosystem function, within these areas.

Bats are an important component in ecosystem health and condition.  They form a critical niche, the insectivorous species being primary nocturnal predators of night flying insects and are susceptible to increased levels of pesticides, while Fruit bats are critical for forest regeneration. Many plants are reliant on these night time pollinators (e.g. Baobab Adansonia digitata), for both pollination and seed dispersal.  Both groups of bats are also greatly susceptible to environmental change.

 

 

Africanbats.org aims to collate and disseminate information, resources and tools to assist with the conservation of Africa's bat diversity in a cost effective manner. 

 

 

Our objectives are: