VISION - INDIAN BAT CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

This webpage in under development: Therefore, content and data being quoted hereon may not yet be too accurate or appropriate for scientific use.

Indian Bat Conservation Foundation (IBCF) is brainchild idea of one of its Trustees and an expert Bat Biologist from India Dr. K. R. Senacha, who has been associated with this organization in capacity of a Principal Scientist since its conceptualization and inception through early 2012.

Bats; one of most abundant mammal species across the world; being pollinators, seed dispersers and insect eaters play an imperative role to ensure the health of ecosystems and environment we live in. They are present worldwide except Arctica, Antarctica, some parts of extreme deserts and a few isolated oceanic islands. India is renowned for its majestic wildlife, and studies of its natural history abound, but the bats of India are hardly ever mentioned, and very little is known about them. Of the over 1400 species of bats reported worldwide India is known to harbour at least 133 species comprising of 12 frugivorous and 121 insectivorous.

Despite the imperative ecological, economical and environmental significance bats in India are though studies periodically in recent past efforts exercised by researchers remained opportunistic and selective across countrywide geographic locations. Citing vast geographical rage and rich thriving animal diversity of India efforts to unveil and study the species diversity of bats seems to be a drop in ocean. Analysis of available data on bat research in India reveals that, in dearth of adequate knowledge, prevailing myths, misconceptions and noted rumors among locals about nature and presence of bats have not only adversely impacted the safety and security of many a existing bat roosts but led to pose serious threat to some of them. We need to exercise more and systematic efforts to not only survey, unveil and study the species diversity of bats in India but must launch and lead an ambitious / organised drive of Bat Conservation and Awareness Campaign (BCAC) to educate and create required awareness among locals about nature and ecological / economical significance of bats.

Therefore, Dr. Senacha had conceptualized in the year 2007 and incepted this ambitious organization called Indian Bat Conservation Foundation (IBCF) at Vasai, Mumbai, Maharashtra in the year 2012. It aims to (1) Launch systematic and scientific surveys to investigate the diversity of bats across India, (2) Select enthusiast volunteers and train / skill them to serve as Regional Bat Conservationists, (3) Create network of Bat Clubs across the country and (4) Launch Bat Conservation and Awareness Campaign across potential domains to uproot and eradicate the prevailing myths / misconceptions / social taboos about bats among locals and inculcate the sense of appreciation by education and creating awareness, (5) Publish appropriate and requisite scientific material on bats.

In the past ten years time we have studied the species diversity of bats across Rajasthan and Gujarat parts of the Thar Desert in India. Beside this we have assessed potential threats, if any, to the existing bat roosts and recommended the required mitigation measures to the concern authorities to ensure possible protection. We have launched ambitious Bat Conservation and Awareness Campaign (BCAC) in prominent parts of the Thar Desert In India and attempted to educate the locals and create awareness about nature and ecological / economical significance of bats.