Latin American Network (RELCOM)

RELCOM works to guarantee the persistence of bats species and healthy and viable populations of bats in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Argentina (PCMA) is composed of researchers, students, and community members, and it was founded with the objective of working to protect and preserve bats. The program operates in the following areas: Research, Conservation and Management, and Outreach and Education.

The Program for Bat Conservation in the ABC Islands (PCMABC) is guided by the “Bat Research and Conservation Plan for the ABC Islands”, which has eight components: baseline research on bats and caves, monitoring bat colonies, management and protection of diurnal refuges, legislation, education, and the creation of the world’s 1st symposium on Leptonycteris.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Bolivia (PCMB) seeks to promote the conservation of Bolivian bats and their ecosystems through education and research activities to guarantee the maintenance of biological processes that will benefit humans and nature.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Brazil (PCMBr) was founded by researchers and their students from various Brazilian regions who have developed environmental education activities about bats to encourage positive attitudes and promote conservation messages, including the annual Bats Festival in Manaus.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Chile (PCMCh) was created in response to concerns about the status of the populations and biodiversity of bats in Chile, and it seeks to contribute to the conservation of this important group of animals, both for humans and for the environment in general.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Colombia (PCMCo) leads and supports local and regional conservation initiatives throughout the country, including educational events, training courses, and on-the-ground projects in important hotspots for bat conservation.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Costa Rica (PCMCR) uses research and education to achieve its objectives of reducing the risk of bat-species extinctions and establishing a positive image of bats, in a country where deforestation and a poorly-informed general public are major threats.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Cuba (PCMCu) works through research and educational campaigns to accomplish its primary goals of increasing knowledge of the biology of Cuban bats and educating the Cuban people on the ecological importance, diversity, and need to protect bats.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Ecuador (PCME) seeks to raise public awareness of the importance of bats in ecosystems and the environmental services they provide in order to successfully implement conservation strategies protecting areas, species, and populations that face serious threats.

 The Program for Bat Conservation in El Salvador (PCMES) consists of conservation professionals and students focused on achieving the following objectives for the country’s bats: increasing scientific understanding, recovering species and populations, and preserving habitat.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Guatemala (PCMG) was founded in 2002, and since then has been driving research, educational activities, and conservation efforts through students and professional initiatives.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Honduras (PCMH) was founded to improve the conservation of bats through research and conservation actions, and is comprised of biologists, students, teachers, state employees, NGOs, and volunteers from different parts of the country.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Mexico (PCMM) was the keystone for the creation of RELCOM. The PCMM works on a three-pronged strategy of research, education, and conservation actions to ensure effective recovery and preservation of bats across Mexico, focusing on migratory, endemic, and threatened species and work on their ecology and natural history.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Nicaragua (PCMN) seeks to be a group composed of all Nicaraguans who are interested in involvement with bat conservation and who wish to promote the conservation of bats and their ecosystems through education, conservation, and research.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Paraguay (PCMPy) is composed of researchers, students, and other members of society whose interest is to preserve Paraguay’s bat species and disseminate knowledge about them with the goal of changing widespread negative perceptions about bats.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Peru (PCMP) was founded by a group of students and researchers with the main objective protect habitats and roosts through education, research, and conservation actions.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Puerto Rico (PCMPR) was organized with the objective of protecting bats by developing public awareness about the role of bats in ecosystems, and educating about the facts and myths that surround these fascinating mammals.

The mission of the Program for Bat Conservation in Uruguay (PCMU) is to educate and raise awareness in society about the importance of bats and generate knowledge about their diversity and ecology.

The Program for Bat Conservation in Venezuela (PCMV) has members that are actively involved in various research, education, and conservation practices. The PCMV concentrates its efforts on bat conservation addressing three threats: habitat loss, disturbance and destruction of caves, and abuse of toxic substances.