Bats account for nearly one-fifth of mammal species worldwide, yet they remain widely misunderstood. In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, we speak with Kit Stoner, CEO of the Bat Conservation Trust, about why bat conservation matters, what UK bat population trends reveal, and how research, policy and public engagement can help protect these remarkable mammals.Kit begins by describing the encounter with bats that prompted her career change and her journey through more than two decades at the Bat Conservation Trust. She explains why effective conservation requires scientific evidence alongside communication, partnerships and an understanding of the people and industries whose decisions affect wildlife.Bats perform important ecological roles. All 18 bat species found in the UK feed on insects, including species that can damage crops. Elsewhere in the world, bats also pollinate plants and disperse seeds. Kit discusses insect pest control, ecosystem health and the value of long-term monitoring. Although some monitored UK species have shown signs of recovery following historic declines, more recent five-year trends present a less reassuring picture for several species.The conversation examines the pressures facing UK bats, including habitat loss, disrupted habitat connectivity, climate change and artificial light at night. Kit explains how warming may shift the ranges of some species while making maternity roosts too hot or altering the availability of insect prey. Lighting can affect roosts, commuting routes and feeding areas. We also discuss wind turbines and bats: how careful siting can avoid important movement routes, and how changes to turbine operation can reduce impacts when avoidance is not possible.Technology offers new opportunities to understand these changes. Kit explores advances in bat detectors, passive acoustic monitoring and AI bat identification, which allow researchers to collect data across larger areas and over longer periods. She also explains why automated species identifications require verification and why expert surveyors remain essential.We discuss the Bat Conservation Trust’s National Bat Monitoring Programme, whose volunteer-generated data inform species population trends, official statistics and wider research. Kit also describes the National Bat Helpline, the Trust’s work with agriculture, forestry and the built environment, and why considering bats early in development planning can help avoid preventable problems.Finally, Kit reflects on public misconceptions about bats, the importance of communicating their ecological value, and practical ways people can support bat conservation through wildlife-friendly gardens, bat boxes and local bat groups. Timestamps00:00 Introduction: Why bats matter01:45 Meet Kit Stoner of the Bat Conservation Trust01:51 Kit’s path into bat conservation02:43 Communication, partnerships and conservation leadership04:12 The ecological importance of bats05:00 Misconceptions about bats and development05:28 Underappreciated aspects of bat biology06:00 UK bat population trends and ecosystem health07:03 Public perceptions of bats after COVID-1907:52 The Impact of Climate Change on UK’s bats08:46 Wind turbines and bat conservation09:37 Artificial lighting, roosts and feeding routes10:24 Habitat loss and connectivity10:54 Integrating bats into development planning11:44 Bat detectors and advances in monitoring12:21 Acoustic monitoring and AI species identification13:05 The National Bat Monitoring Program13:55 The National Bat Helpline15:42 Bat conservation in farming and forestry16:44 Policy priorities and the value of nature17:16 How individuals can help bats17:36 Conservation challenges and career reflections19:00 Closing#BatConservation #BatConservationTrust #UKBats #BatPopulationTrends #EcosystemHealth #InsectPestControl #HabitatConnectivity #ClimateChangeAndBats #ArtificialLightAtNight #WindTurbinesAndBats #AcousticMonitoring #AIBatIdentification
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