Our Mission
...is to Foster Public Appreciation of Bats and to Support the Conservation of Bat Populations in Colorado
The Colorado Bat Society is a federally tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation founded in 1990.
Why Conserve Bats?
by Rick Adams, Founder and PresidentThis is a common question posed by those who are unaware of the plight of bats. Of the 4200 species of mammals in the world, almost 25% (> 900 species) are bats. Because of their great diversity and versatility, bats live in almost all habitats on earth and are important in the balance of ecosystems. For example, most bats in North America are insect eaters (called insectivorous) and are the only serious nighttime foragers on mosquitoes and many species of agricultural pests that cause millions of dollars of damage each year. A single little brown bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes in an hour.
In other parts of the world bats are important pollinators and seed dispersers of many important plant species. In Arizona and southwards into Mexico, the endangered Sanborn's long-nosed bat is the primary pollinator of Saguaro, Organ Pipe and Cardone cacti. If this bat species were to go extinct, reproduction in these keystone cactus species would decline drastically, inevitably leading to the collapse of the southwestern desert ecosystem. Bats are also the primary pollinators of Agave plants, which are used to make tequila. Bats are also the primary dispersers of seeds for many tropical plant species, and it has been shown that bat dispersed seeds are critically important to the reestablishment of tropical rain forest after clear cutting and/or burning has occurred.
Despite their well documented importance to the balance of almost all ecosystems, bats continue to be feared and killed outright (sometimes in the thousands) due to ancient, but still commonly held, myths and unfounded human fears. Bats are actually quite gentle mammals that carry few diseases, are meticulously clean, and are one of the most highly evolved of mammals. Although a diverse group, bat numbers are in drastic decline worldwide. Bat Conservation International estimates that approximately 45% (more than 400 species) of bats should be listed as endangered. CBS hopes to do its part in helping to stop the decline of bat populations in Colorado. If you are concerned and interested in promoting the conservation of bats, perhaps becoming a member of the Colorado Bat Society is for you!