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Pale Spear-nosed Bat (Phyllostomus discolor) — South America. Photo: Jose Gabriel Martinez Fonseca

Individuals

You don’t need to be a scientist to help bats. Here’s how anyone can take part in 2027.

  • Go to an event. Bat walks, festivals and talks are happening everywhere — check the global calendar.
  • Host your own. A bat night in your garden, a talk at your library, a bat-themed art evening. Add it to the calendar so others can join.
  • Learn and share. Use our key messages to talk about bats accurately and positively — and skip the myths.
  • Give bats a home. Plant night-blooming flowers, keep mature trees, put up a bat box, reduce pesticide use, and turn off unnecessary outdoor lights.
  • Live safely alongside bats. Bats are shy, non-aggressive animals. Never handle a bat with bare hands; if you find a sick or injured one, contact a local wildlife rescue or vet.
  • Join a network. Regional bat networks welcome volunteers for counts, monitoring and outreach. Find your network through GBatNet.
  • Support conservation. Join, donate to or volunteer with a science-based bat conservation organisation.