Geoffroy’s Rousette fruit bats.

The 7,107 islands in the Philippines are home to many animals including 74 bat species, 26 unique to the Philippines. Forty-three percent of bat species on the planet are found in the Asia-Pacific region.

The conservation of bats in the Philippines is a crucial and frequently underestimated issue and can be solved by educating and engaging the local people in conservation actions.

Bat Conservation International (BCI) will involve the general public, in particular teachers and students, in the conservation of (bat) biodiversity to raise interest in and awareness of conservation issues in local communities.

BCI's model for programming in the Philippines is to engage smaller and often underfunded conservation organizations and offer assistance and professional guidance to local partners.

  "We buy bats at 3 pieces for 100 pesos. It tastes like chicken and it's big. I think you better stop campaigning against bat hunting because the people still will not pay attention to that. You'll just wear yourself out."

Filipino cab driver, December 2008