Guwahati: From the limestone cave networks of Meghalaya to the forested landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh, bat populations across Northeast India are increasingly under strain as development, extraction, and changing land-use patterns reshape fragile ecosystems.
A new assessment in the State of India’s Bats (2024–2025) report has flagged habitat loss, mining, hunting, and agricultural intensification as the key threats driving this decline. The findings were released recently at an event hosted by the Zoological Survey of India’s North Eastern Regional Centre in Shillong, in collaboration with the Nature Conservation Foundation and Bat Conservation International.
The report identifies Meghalaya as one of India’s most critical bat biodiversity hotspots, home to an extraordinary diversity of species. Yet, its limestone cave systems—essential roosting habitats—are increasingly threatened by quarrying, mining, and human disturbance.
Despite covering just a fraction of India’s land area, the state supports nearly half of the country’s bat diversity, highlighting a stark imbalance between ecological importance and conservation attention.
Prepared by 34 researchers from 27 institutions, the report brought together scientists, forest officials, policymakers, and community members—nearly 70 participants in total—underscoring the growing urgency around bat conservation.
At the release, Principal Secretary to the Governor H.C. Chaudhary described bats as “mysterious yet indispensable”, emphasising their critical roles in pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling. He also cautioned against persistent myths linking bats directly to COVID-19, noting that such misconceptions continue to hinder conservation efforts.
Echoing these concerns, India Bat Project Manager Rohit Chakravarty pointed out that bats remain one of the most overlooked groups in India’s conservation landscape, despite their ecological significance.
On the ground, pressures are intensifying. Mining activities—ranging from coal and limestone extraction to sand mining—are degrading habitats and damaging cave systems, sometimes directly killing bats through blasting or forcing colonies to abandon roosts.
Hunting practices, often rooted in tradition, continue across parts of the region. In states like Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, community hunting has historically targeted bats, but researchers now report declining numbers, suggesting populations are already under stress.
Urban expansion is compounding the problem. Tree felling, land conversion, and settlement growth are steadily erasing long-standing roosting sites. In Assam, entire colonies of Indian flying foxes have been displaced following habitat loss, reflecting a wider regional trend.
The report also flags agricultural intensification as an emerging threat. Heavy pesticide use—especially in tea-growing regions—likely impacts insect-eating bats, while monoculture plantations such as rubber, oil palm, and areca nut reduce both feeding and roosting spaces.
Pollution, though less studied, is increasingly seen as a potential risk, particularly in wetlands and cave ecosystems.
Researchers warn that large parts of Northeast India remain poorly studied, with limited long-term data on bat populations. Uttam Saikia, a leading bat researcher in the region, highlighted a critical gap in taxonomy, noting that low funding and limited interest have slowed efforts to document species diversity.
Strengthening taxonomic research, he argued, is essential—not only for conservation but also for understanding links between biodiversity, public health, and ecosystem services.
The report lays out a 10-year roadmap for research and conservation, with a strong focus on the Northeast. Yet, the immediate message is stark: bats across the region are steadily losing both habitat and security.
Much of this decline, researchers warn, is unfolding quietly—inside caves, across forests, and above fields—largely unnoticed, but with far-reaching ecological consequences.
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