Vietnam’s Protected Areas Miss 96% of Critical Bat Habitats

A groundbreaking study reveals that Vietnam’s current network of protected areas covers only 6% of the land where the country’s diverse bat populations live, leaving these crucial mammals vulnerable to mounting environmental threats.

Vietnam hosts nearly one-third of all bat species found across Asia—81 species in total—ranging from insect-eating varieties to fruit bats, including eight species facing global extinction risks. These winged mammals inhabit the country’s tropical forests, mountain valleys, and limestone cave systems, but a new analysis published in PLOS ONE shows that 78 of these species live primarily outside protected boundaries.

The research challenge highlights a broader conservation dilemma: bats are notoriously difficult to protect due to their diverse and mobile lifestyles. Some species hibernate for months in deep caves or tree hollows, while others migrate vast distances seeking food and mates. This mobility makes it particularly challenging to design effective protected areas that can safeguard entire bat populations throughout their life cycles.

Led by biologist Le Quang Tuan from National Taiwan Normal University, the international research team used advanced spatial modeling to map how well Vietnam’s protected areas overlap with bat habitats. The findings mirror similar conservation gaps identified in other biodiverse regions like Africa and Brazil, where flying mammals are frequently overlooked in traditional conservation planning. With many Vietnamese bat species already in decline due to habitat loss and other pressures, the study underscores an urgent need to reimagine protected area design to better accommodate these ecologically vital creatures.