Bats and Key Biodiversity Areas

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are globally significant sites for conservation.To date, c. , KBAs have been designated worldwide.Many of these evolved from the network of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and were thus designated because of their value for threatened bird species.Most have yet to be reassessed under the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs, established in for other taxa.In , the Global Union of Bat Diversity Networks established a global collaboration to proactively include bats, where appropriate, in the KBA initiative.At the th International Bat Research Conference, in Cairns, Australia, in August , we convened a symposium and workshop to promote the inclusion of bats in the KBA network.This was supported with funding from The Rufford Foundation.Over people from…