Now Reading: India’s 135 bat species face habitat loss and low legal protection
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India’s 135 bat species face habitat loss and low legal protection
India is home to roughly 135 bat species, about 10% of global diversity, of which around 16 are endemic. Bats provide critical ecosystem services by controlling insect pests, pollinating flowers, dispersing seeds,…
India is home to roughly 135 bat species, about 10% of global diversity, of which around 16 are endemic. Bats provide critical ecosystem services by controlling insect pests, pollinating flowers, dispersing seeds, and enriching soil with guano. The critically endangered Kolar roundleaf bat, which survives in a single cave in Karnataka, eats 4,100 insect species including disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Despite their importance, bats remain among India's least protected wildlife. Only six species carry the highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Of 122 Indian bat species assessed by the IUCN, only 23% have stable populations, with the rest declining due to habitat loss, roost destruction, persecution linked to myths, and collisions with wind turbines.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Bats are overlooked in India's conservation framework partly because they are nocturnal, cryptic, and often associated with superstition. The Wildlife Protection Act's Schedule I list has not been revised to include more bat species despite scientific evidence of their ecological and economic value in pest control for agriculture. A formal economic valuation of bats' contribution to Indian farming could strengthen the case for better protection. The next step would be for the Union environment ministry to consider amending the Act's schedules, though no such proposal is currently on the table.
Source: india.mongabay.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
