Ekologistak Martxan explains that after six years of institutional paralysis, those that remain exist Chiropterans are completely unprotectedthat are not only endangered, but are also key species for the ecosystems to which they belong.
Desde Ekologistas Martxa, indictment the worrying situation surrounding the Chiroptera Management Plan who inhabit underground shelters and buildings in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, drawn up in 2018, but which have not been approved so far.
Although the technical teams of the Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa councils have endorsed this joint plan, the lack of final approval endangers the protection of these important species for biodiversity.
It is important to remember that the management plan itself describes this in detail Ten species of bats are listed in the Basque Catalog of Endangered Speciesof which four are endangered, three vulnerable and three others classified as of special interest. The lack of updated and effective conservation regulations exposes these bats to an ongoing risk of habitat loss and population decline.
The the current environmental crisis, characterized by the proliferation of large infrastructures and industrial projectsrequires a rapid response from the Basque institutions. The delay in approving the plan disappears chiropteraa vital group of mammals, without the necessary conservation measures to ensure their survival amid the changes affecting their habitats.
An essential plan that has been paralyzed by a political decision since 2018
He Quirópteros Management Planwritten in 2018 and which receives the technical support of the General Administration of the Basque Country and the technical teams of the three Provincial Councils, has still not seen the light of day. The the lack of official approval poses a direct threat for these mammals, which play a crucial role in controlling pests in agriculture and forestry and in balancing ecosystems.
From the scientific community and environmental groups, the vulnerability of bats in Euskadiwhere several species are declining due to the destruction of their refuges, both in caves and buildings, but also due to the pressures of urbanization and industrial development projects that degrade their habitats.
Infrastructure projects, a growing threat to bats
The current scenario, with the development of infrastructure, wind farms and other initiatives such as the restoration of houses, churches and hermitages, the tourist and recreational use of caves, among others, has direct consequences for the refuge and passage areas for bats.
This makes the implementation of this plan even more urgent. Every day that passes without its implementation, bat colonies are losing vital spaces for reproduction, rest and nourishment.
Calls for immediate action
From Ekologistak Martxan they demand the immediate updating of the data of the Chiropteran Management Plan and subsequent approval without further delay. Furthermore, they demand the active involvement of the provincial councils and the Basque government to ensure that this plan has sufficient resources and measures to guarantee the effective protection of these species.
It seems incredible that there are plans aimed at the specific protection of species in a state of distress vulnerable or endangered, as is the case with batsDue to simple political negligence, appropriate decisions are not being made to preserve them.