State of India's Bats (SoIbats) 2024-25 — India's first comprehensive national bat assessment records 135 species.
स्टेट ऑफ़ इंडियाज़ बैट्स (SoIbats) 2024-25 — भारत के पहले व्यापक राष्ट्रीय चमगादड़ आकलन में 135 प्रजातियाँ दर्ज।
Why in News
The State of India's Bats (SoIbats) 2024-25 Report — the first-ever comprehensive national-level assessment of bats in India — has been released jointly by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and Bat Conservation International (BCI). India hosts 135 recognised bat species, with West Bengal (68 species) and Meghalaya (66 species) recording the highest species richness. The report flags habitat fragmentation, pesticide use, and post-COVID zoonotic stigma as key threats.
At a Glance
- Report
- State of India's Bats (SoIbats) 2024-25 — first-ever national bat assessment
- Lead organisations
- Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) + Bat Conservation International (BCI)
- Bat species in India
- 135 recognised species
- Highest species richness
- West Bengal (68 species); Meghalaya (66 species)
- IUCN-listed threatened species (India)
- 7 species
- Endemic to Indian subcontinent
- 16 species
- Two functional groups
- Megachiroptera (fruit bats) and Microchiroptera (insect-eating bats)
- Order
- Chiroptera — the only mammals capable of true flight
The State of India's Bats (SoIbats) 2024-25 Report — jointly released by the Nature Conservation Foundation and Bat Conservation International — is the first comprehensive national-level assessment of Indian bats. It records 135 species, with West Bengal (68) and Meghalaya (66) leading in richness; 7 species are IUCN-listed as Threatened and 16 are endemic to the subcontinent. Standout species include the 'Critically Endangered' Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat (found in a single Karnataka cave), Salim Ali's Fruit Bat (Western Ghats endemic, named after the 'Birdman of India'), and island endemics like the Andaman Horseshoe Bat and Nicobar Flying Fox.
स्टेट ऑफ़ इंडियाज़ बैट्स (SoIbats) 2024-25 रिपोर्ट — नेचर कंज़र्वेशन फ़ाउंडेशन (NCF) एवं बैट कंज़र्वेशन इंटरनेशनल (BCI) द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से जारी — भारतीय चमगादड़ों का पहला व्यापक राष्ट्रीय आकलन है। इसमें 135 प्रजातियाँ दर्ज हैं; पश्चिम बंगाल (68) और मेघालय (66) में प्रजाति विविधता सर्वाधिक है। IUCN के अनुसार 7 प्रजातियाँ संकटग्रस्त तथा 16 प्रजातियाँ भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप की एकमात्र स्थानिक (endemic) हैं।
Static GK
- •Chiroptera: Only mammalian order capable of true flight — second-most species-rich mammalian order after Rodentia
- •Salim Ali: 'Birdman of India' — ornithologist; Padma Vibhushan (1976); Salim Ali's Fruit Bat and Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History named after him
- •Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat: Critically Endangered; known only from a single cave in Karnataka — one of the rarest mammals in the world
- •Ecological roles of bats: Pollination and seed dispersal (fruit bats); natural pest control (insectivorous bats); guano as nitrogen/phosphorus-rich natural fertilizer
- •Bat–virus co-evolution: Bats have co-existed with various viruses for approximately 52 million years; spillover events are linked to habitat disturbance
- →SoIbats = State of India's Bats. Partners: NCF + BCI. Pehla comprehensive national assessment.
- →135 species total. West Bengal (68) #1, Meghalaya (66) #2. 'WB-MG top' — dono states contiguous nahi, alag hain.
- →7 threatened + 16 endemic — 'saat aur solaah'. Easy numbers.
- →Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat = Critically Endangered, Karnataka ki ek cave mein milti hai. Rarest mammal!
- →Salim Ali = 'Birdman of India', uske naam par Salim Ali's Fruit Bat (Western Ghats endemic).
- →Order Chiroptera = only flying mammals. 'Chiropractor' se yaad — hand-flying.
Exam Angles
The SoIbats 2024-25 Report, released jointly by the Nature Conservation Foundation and Bat Conservation International, is India's first national bat assessment — 135 species recorded, with West Bengal and Meghalaya leading in diversity.
Q1. The State of India's Bats (SoIbats) 2024-25 Report has been jointly released by:
- A.WWF-India and IUCN
- B.Wildlife Institute of India and BNHS
- C.Nature Conservation Foundation and Bat Conservation International
- D.Zoological Survey of India and WWF-India
tap to reveal answer
Answer: C. Nature Conservation Foundation and Bat Conservation International
SoIbats 2024-25 is a joint initiative of the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and Bat Conservation International (BCI).
Q2. According to SoIbats 2024-25, which state records the highest number of bat species in India?
- A.Kerala
- B.Meghalaya
- C.West Bengal
- D.Karnataka
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Answer: C. West Bengal
West Bengal leads with 68 species, followed by Meghalaya with 66 species.
Q3. The 'Critically Endangered' Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat — one of the rarest mammals in the world — is found in a single cave in:
- A.Meghalaya
- B.Kerala
- C.Karnataka
- D.Andaman and Nicobar Islands
tap to reveal answer
Answer: C. Karnataka
The Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat is restricted to a single cave in Karnataka.
Q4. Salim Ali's Fruit Bat — a rare species endemic to the Western Ghats — is named after:
- A.A Mughal-era naturalist
- B.The legendary 'Birdman of India'
- C.A British colonial zoologist
- D.A bat-ecology pioneer from Kerala
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Answer: B. The legendary 'Birdman of India'
The species is named after Salim Ali, the renowned ornithologist known as the 'Birdman of India'.
Q5. Bats belong to which mammalian order — the only one with members capable of true flight?
- A.Rodentia
- B.Chiroptera
- C.Insectivora
- D.Primates
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Answer: B. Chiroptera
Bats belong to the order Chiroptera — the only mammalian order capable of true flight.
Bats are underappreciated ecological workhorses — fruit bats drive seed dispersal and pollination of economically important plants, while insectivorous bats suppress mosquito and crop-pest populations. India's 135 recognised species place it among the more bat-rich countries globally, but systematic national-level assessment has been missing until SoIbats 2024-25. Post-COVID zoonotic stigma, limestone-cave mining in Meghalaya, and pesticide use have compounded older threats like old-growth-tree loss. The SoIbats Report fills an evidence gap that has historically kept bats off mainstream biodiversity dashboards.
- EcologicalFruit bats and insectivorous bats deliver pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control — ecosystem services with measurable agricultural value.
- Public-healthPost-COVID zoonotic stigma has led to persecution; the report notes bats have co-existed with viruses for ~52 million years, with spillovers linked to habitat disturbance.
- Conservation-policyCave fauna is inadequately covered in protected-area design; Meghalaya's limestone-cave mining illustrates the gap.
- Species-levelIsland endemics (Andaman Horseshoe Bat, Nicobar Flying Fox) and the Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat are flagship conservation cases.
- Mining and infrastructure destroy primary roosting sites (Meghalaya limestone caves; old-growth trees across regions).
- Pesticide overuse reduces insect prey for insectivorous bats.
- Zoonotic stigma drives public persecution of harmless species.
- Limited citizen-science and research infrastructure for cave and canopy surveys.
- Notify cave-biodiversity corridors as protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
- Build a national bat-monitoring network anchored by NCF/BCI methodology.
- Fold bat habitats into Environmental Impact Assessment requirements for mining and infrastructure.
- Expand public-awareness campaigns to counter COVID-era misconceptions.
Mains Q · 150wThe release of the SoIbats 2024-25 Report fills a long-standing evidence gap in Indian biodiversity assessment. Discuss the ecological significance of bats and suggest policy measures for their conservation. (150 words)
Intro: India's first comprehensive national bat assessment, SoIbats 2024-25, records 135 species and identifies threats across mining, pesticides, and post-COVID stigma.
- Ecological services: pollination and seed dispersal by fruit bats; pest control and guano-based fertility.
- Threats: limestone-cave mining (Meghalaya), old-growth-tree loss, pesticide overuse, stigma-driven persecution.
- Conservation gaps: cave fauna under-represented in protected areas; no national monitoring network.
- Policy: notify cave-biodiversity corridors; mandate bat assessment in EIA; build citizen-science networks.
Conclusion: Bats need to graduate from folklore to policy — anchored in SoIbats-style evidence and integrated cave/canopy conservation.
Flashcard
Q · SoIbats 2024-25 — partner organisations and headline number?tap to reveal
Suggested Reading
- NCF SoIbats 2024-25 Reportsearch: ncf-india.org SoIbats State of India's Bats report
Interlinkages
Essay Fodder
In nature, nothing exists alone.