Learn more about Biodiversity for a Livable Climate: https://bio4climate.org/
Please donate to our ecosystem restoration work: https://bio4climate.org/donate/
Almost a quarter of all mammal species are bats. Some consume insects, others pollinate a wide range of plants, and some are highly effective seed dispersers in tropical rainforests. In sum, they provide people and the planet with key ecosystem services. But they also face a range of threats—a list that begins with fear and misconception, then scrolls down through habitat loss, disease, climate change, and too many more. The good news is that we have proven conservation solutions for most problems, and scientists are working on a host of innovative responses to some of the more perplexing challenges.
Charles C. Chester teaches global environmental politics at Brandeis University and at the Fletcher School of Tufts University. He serves on the board of Bat Conservation International and is Chair of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Council.
Presented at Climate, Biodiversity, and Survival: Listening to the Voices of Nature conference at Harvard University on November 17-18, 2018
#bats #mammals #ecosystemservices