Bats are facing decline around the world. Habitat loss, climate change, and disease all threaten bats. White-nose syndrome is an especially serious threat to North American bat populations.
Yet bats are important. People benefit from bats every day. They help balance the environment in countless ways. But myths and fear continue to hurt their survival. Keep reading to find out how you can help!
Threats. Bats face many challenges around the world. Habitat loss is a major cause of decline. Deforestation, urban growth, and farming remove trees and destroy roosting sites. Land development also reduces the space bats need to hunt and live. This means less food and fewer safe places to rest. Migratory bats are especially at risk because they use many different habitats.
Other threats include pollution, pesticides, and wind turbines. Pesticides kill the insects that bats eat. They can also poison bats directly. Light pollution (see above photo) makes it harder for bats to hunt and find their way. Exploring caves, cutting down old trees, or renovating old buildings can disturb or harm bats.
Climate change adds another layer of stress. It changes weather patterns, increase wildfires and extreme heat. It also affects food, water, and disease.
Climate change is also linked to white-nose syndrome. This fungal disease is spreading through North America and affecting many bat species.
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is one of the most serious threats to bats in North America. It is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. It damages their skin and wings. WNS also makes bats wake up more often during hibernation. This uses up the fat they need to survive the winter. It leads to dehydration, starvation, and death. Since it was discovered in 2006, WNS has killed millions of bats across North America.
The fungus is only harmful to bats. They usually catch it from other bats or from the places where they roost. People can also carry fungal spores on clothing, shoes, or gear.
The fungus can live for years in caves and mines where bats hibernate. These sites act like storage areas for the fungus. When bats gather there, they can pick it up and carry it to new locations.
The first case of WNS in the western United States was found in 2016. It was in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus; pictured above with the telltale white patch around the nose) in King County, Washington. Since then, the fungus has been detected in 22 counties, including Clark County.
Recently, the fungus has been found at San Juan Island National Historical Park in Washington, and at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Oregon. Finding the fungus usually means WNS infection will follow.
Bats are beneficial to people. Some bats can live up to forty years in the wild. That is an impressive lifespan for such small mammals. Even more remarkable is how rarely they develop cancer. Certain genetic factors make this possible. Bats can get rid of cell that might turn cancerous. They can do this without destroying too many healthy cells. They can renew and repair cells. This means they don’t have the same issues with aging that other animals do. The genes that balance these abilities are being studied to see how they might help people.
Bats have powerful immune systems as well. They get sick and age without much inflammation. Learning about this ability could lead to new anti-inflammatory drugs for humans. They are also able to carry and tolerate a wide range of viruses without severe side effects. This has influenced vaccine research.
Bats are valuable to our economy. Farmers save billions every year because of the insects bats consume. Their diet helps lower crop loss and chemical use. Bats also fuel ecotourism. People travel to their dusk flights or visit bat sanctuaries. Bats have also inspired innovation. Their echolocation systems helped shape sonar and radar design.
Bats have long shaped both human life and imagination across the globe. They are powerful symbols within certain culture. The extinct giant vampire bat (Desmodus draculae) may have influenced a deity (See the above photo of a D. draculae skull compared to a common vampire bat skull). The bat god Camazotz looked like a person with the head of a leaf-nosed bat. Bats influenced Zapotec and Maya traditions, culture and legends.
Bats maintain ecosystems. Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. There are over 1500 species spread out across 6 continents. Bat diversity and range make them important to balancing ecosystems. Each species plays a different role. They eat huge numbers of insects, pollinate plants (see the photo above of a lesser long-nosed bat covered in pollen), and disperse seeds.
Bats can be found in the tropics and deserts. Here, nectar-feeding bats pollinate night-blooming plants. These plants make fruit like bananas, mangos, and guavas. Bats are also responsible for pollinating agave, which is used to make tequila. In fact, wild agave plants mostly depend on bats for pollination.
Fruit-eating bats play an equally vital role in reforestation. Huge sections of rainforest are cleared every year. Bats help restore what is lost. They can spread seeds to areas that other animals can’t reach. This is because travel longer distances than other seed dispersing animals. Bats can be responsible for 95% of the first new plant growth in some clear-cut forests.
Myth: All bats carry rabies. This is one of the most common and harmful misunderstandings about bats. Less than 1% of bats have rabies. Sick bats are easier to see because they are more likely to be on the ground or acting strangely. This makes it easier to collect and test them. It can make it seem like rabies is common, but it’s not.
It’s true that bats can carry rabies, and caution is always important. You should get medical help if you’re bitten, scratched, or even wake up to find a bat near you.
Myth: You have to kill bats that roost in your home to stop them from returning. You don’t need to kill bats to keep them from returning. Bats can be safely and humanely removed by trained wildlife rescuers. Contact your state wildlife agency or Department of Natural Resources for guidance.
Myth: Bats are flying rodents. Bats may look a little like rodents, but they are not related at all. They belong to completely different animal groups. Bats are Chiroptera, while rodents are Rodentia. Think of seals and dogs. They share features too, but they are very different animals.
Bats are also unique in how they live. They can live up to 40 years, while rats usually live only about 3. And unlike rats, which have many babies several times a year, female bats usually have just one pup a year.
Myth: Bats drink human blood! There are only 3 species of vampire bats, and they live in Mexico, Central America, and South America. These bats don’t target humans because they aren’t adapted to process human blood! They feed on livestock and wild animals. Very rarely, vampire bats have fed on humans. This happens only when their normal food source is scarce.
Vampire bats make a tiny cut with their teeth, then lick the blood with their tongue. The animal usually doesn’t feel anything because the bat’s saliva numbs the area.
Most bats are insectivores (insect-eating), making up about 70% of all bat species. About 18% are frugivores (fruit-eating), 6% are nectarivores (nectar and pollen), 4% are carnivores (small vertebrates and fish), and then the 3 sanguivore (blood-feeding) species.
How to Help.
Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years, and there are over 1,500 species across 6 continents. They are one of the most diverse and widespread groups of mammals in the world. Many bats face threats, including habitat loss, climate change, and disease. Bats contribute to our economy, inspire innovation, and are important in medical research. Bats play huge roles in keeping ecosystems healthy. They eat insects, pollinate plants, and spread seeds that help forests grow.
You can make a difference for bats right where you live!
- Reduce pesticide and herbicide use. Bats rely on healthy insect populations for food. Avoiding chemicals helps both bats and pollinators thrive.
- Plant native flowers, shrubs, and trees. Native plants attract the right kinds of insects and provide shelter.
- Leave dead trees standing when it’s safe. Dead trees can offer natural roosting spots for bats and other wildlife.
- Turn off outdoor lights at night. Light pollution can confuse or deter bats. Motion sensors and warmer-colored bulbs help.
- Keep cats indoors or in outdoor enclosures. Cats are a major predator of bats and birds.
- Install a bat house. Artificial roosts are becoming more important as natural habitats disappear. Learn how to build or install one https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Habitat-Essentials/Build-a-Bat-House
- Remove unwanted bats humanely. Trained rescuers can safely relocate bats and seal entry points. Find a local professional https://batworld.org/local-rescue/
- Leave the leaves! Fallen leaves create habitat for insects and small creatures that bats rely on for food.
- Leave hibernating bats alone! During winter months many bats survive by hibernating. Waking a bat costs them up to 3 weeks of energy that could have been spent in hibernation!
- Choose natural pest control. Avoid harsh chemicals and try non-toxic methods in your garden.
- Buy organic produce when possible. Especially items on the “dirty dozen” list to help reduce pesticide use. For 2025, the list includes spinach, strawberries, kale, collard and mustard greens, grapes, peaches, cherries, nectarines, pears, apples, blackberries, and potatoes.
- Look for FSC-certified wood and paper. These products come from responsibly managed forests that provide wildlife habitat.
- Learn and share. Bats are gentle and vital parts of our ecosystems. Help spread accurate information. Dispel myths and spread correct information.
- Celebrate Bat Week (October 24–31). Turn off your porch light, plant night-blooming flowers, or just take a moment to watch bats fly at dusk and appreciate all they do!
Photo credit: Jim Conrad, EOS.org, USFWS, Guilherme Garbino, NPS, inhauscreative, and eZeePics Studio.