Furthering Our Mission to End Bat Extinctions Worldwide

his issue of Bats comes off the press at a bittersweet time for Bat Conservation International (BCI). This Spring, we lost one of America’s leading champions of bat conservation, J. David Bamberger, who passed away at the age of 97 on his beloved Selah Ranch in the Hill Country of Texas. He was Founder and Chairman of Church’s Fried Chicken, served for many years on the BCI Board, and was instrumental in the acquisition and stewardship of Bracken Bat Cave, the largest concentration of wild mammals on Earth. Like so many of us, he dedicated himself to the protection of these amazing creatures and, remarkably, created on Selah the world’s first human-made bat cave. Initially called “Bamberger’s Folly” by the press, it is now home to more than 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) and is known by the name he coined for it, “The Chiroptorium.”

As we celebrate the Bamberger legacy, we commence a transformational era in the life of BCI with the development of a bold and visionary strategic path to 2030. The plan, now in its final stages, will surely be a beacon of hope for bat conservation throughout the world.

Just as exciting, we are in the final stages of a global search for a new Executive Director for BCI, a monumental effort. This candidate list was impressive and we anticipate naming our new leader soon.

And so, as reflected in this issue of Bats, we are entering a new era of both significant challenges and new hope for bats. Challenges to bats throughout the world are highlighted on these pages by reports from Kenya, India, and the United States, and hope is exemplified by our “Bat Chat” with a Bracken Cave volunteer. Additionally, this spring, we launched our Bat Ambassador Volunteer Training, and an amazing 2,000 people signed up on the first day.

We simply could not accomplish our goals without volunteers, inspiring young people like our Student Scholars, and supporters across the world who make our important work possible and with whom we will surely accomplish our mission to end bat extinctions worldwide.

Andy Sansom
BCI Board Chair