Bat Conservation International

What Bat Conservation International does

Bat Conservation International (BCI) was founded in 1982 by bat biologist Merlin Tuttle and is based in Austin, Texas. Its stated mission is to end bat extinctions worldwide. There are more than 1,500 known bat species, and BCI says nearly 200 of them are threatened with extinction. Bats pollinate crops, disperse seeds and help control pests.

BCI organizes its work around four pillars: interventions for endangered species, protecting and restoring key landscapes, research into solutions that can scale, and education. One of its key sites is Bracken Cave, whose land BCI purchased; the cave hosts roughly 20 million bats. Elsewhere it works to protect critical cave systems in countries including Mexico, Jamaica, Brazil and Kenya, and addresses threats in North America such as white-nose syndrome and wind energy. It has also partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on conservation projects.

BCI is an established, mid-sized conservation group, with about $13.2 million in revenue in its 2025 fiscal year, and Charity Navigator rates it four stars.

Key facts

• Nearly 200 of the 1,500+ known bat species are threatened with extinction, per BCI (batcon.org)
• Protects Bracken Cave, home to about 20 million bats, which BCI describes as the largest bat colony on Earth (batcon.org)
• Reports 20M+ bats protected annually and supporters in 97 countries (batcon.org)
• FY ending June 2025: $13,202,026 revenue and $16,890,036 expenses (ProPublica)