Match for Bats

This October, Oregon Wildlife Foundation is celebrating International Bat Month and is partnering with NW Bat Hub, a collaborative research and monitoring program dedicated to understanding and conserving bat populations in Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest.  

Your gift today will help to help to create a lifeline for Oregon’s fragile bat populations. You will be standing with scientists, researchers and volunteers who are racing to understand how they can save the species from extinction.  

In order to maintain a healthy and sustainable bat population in Oregon, NW Bat Hub is advancing two critical projects that you can support today. Each effort equips researchers and partners with the tools and information they need to better understand these special mammals and to steward their long‑term survival. 

Bat Acoustic & Capture Equipment

• This will help to equip volunteers with additional Wildlife Acoustics SM4BAT detectors to expand acoustic monitoring across Oregon.  Additionally, with partners like Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the group will secure specialized mist nets and pole sets that help to support ongoing bat capture and handling efforts.  Both will help strengthen the researcher’s ability to track bat activity, assess bat health and respond to additional threats. 

Motus Tower Expansion

• NW Bat Hub, building on the current network that includes a tower located at OSU-Cascades, will further expand their network of Motus Towers in Central Oregon, which will result in improved early-warning detection, bat migration tracking, and long-term monitoring of bat movement in the region.

Bats in Oregon

Oregon is home to 15 species of bats, a rarely seen and often misunderstood mammal that plays an invaluable role in keeping our environment healthy. These nocturnal insect‑eaters work behind the scenes to support thriving forests, productive gardens, and the habitats that fish and wildlife depend on. 

Bats are an underdog species, one that gets little focus and attention in the world of conservation.  Today, Oregon’s bat species face mounting threats from climate pressures, shrinking habitat, and devastating illnesses like white‑nose syndrome. As their numbers decline, the impacts ripple across our ecosystems and ultimately affect everyone who enjoys Oregon’s outdoor spaces. Protecting bats means protecting the landscapes, wildlife, and recreation opportunities that we value most.