Help Cuba's Bat Scientists Survive and Protect the Island's Bats "Winged Elves"

On December 10, our team hand-carries supplies and funds to Cuba’s bat scientists in Matanzas. Give by November 30 so your gift is in the suitcase.

Conservation Against Extraordinary Odds

Cuba is experiencing one of the most severe crises since its revolution. Limited access to equipment, severe shortages of supplies, unreliable transportation, restricted access to technology, and recurring energy shortages create obstacles at nearly every step of their work and daily life. Essential scientific tools that many researchers take for granted are often unavailable or impossible to replace.

Despite these hardships, Cuba's bat conservation team refuses to give up. They continue surveying caves, monitoring bat populations, educating communities, training new conservation leaders, and inspiring the next generation to protect these extraordinary animals.

In the caves of Matanzas (Bellamar, Canímar, Bacunayagua), Cuban scientists are protecting the Duendes Alados, the “Winged Elves.” Cuba is home to 26 living bat species, the greatest bat diversity in the Antilles. These bats pollinate plants, spread the seeds that regrow tropical forests, and eat huge numbers of crop-damaging insects.

Proyecto CUBABAT has defended them since 2012, led by biologist, cave explorer, and forensic specialist Yoel Monzón González and environmental educator and bat specalist Yelenny Pacheco. They monitor bat populations, teach children and university students, and work with communities across Matanzas, Camaguey, Havana, and Holguin.

They do it in the middle of a severe crisis. Fuel is scarce, transport is unreliable, and blackouts are constant. Equipment that is easy to buy elsewhere is often impossible to find or replace in Cuba. Worse, the scientists and their families often don’t have enough food or their basic needs covered, and they keep protecting the bats anyway.

"Those who support CUBABAT do more than just help conserve bats; they help sustain a network of people committed to science, environmental education, and the protection of Cuba’s biodiversity. They help ensure that children, young people, and entire communities can continue to learn how to value nature and live alongside it in a responsible way.
Personally, After so many years dedicated to the study and conservation of these extraordinary animals, I have learned that even the smallest efforts can bring about lasting change. That is why we believe this is precisely the moment not to stop. Crises pass, but the decisions we make during them can make a difference for decades to come." - Dr. Yoel Monzon Gonzalez

Why this campaign is different: your gift travels with us.

On December 10, a team of ours will travel to Cuba and hand-deliver supplies and funds directly to the scientists. No middlemen and no shipping delays. Every item below will be purchased, packed, and carried in person.

The deadline matters: November 30. We need time to buy and pack everything before we fly, so we can only carry what is funded by then.

Building Hope Through Inclusive Education

What your gift pays for

• 🔬 Research ($5,760): ultrasound bat detectors to build the first acoustic library of Cuban bats, infrared binoculars, GPS units, mist nets, a laptop-connected microscope eyepiece and an endoscopic camera for identifying species, headlamps and caving helmets, field clothing and boots, solar chargers and batteries, and funding for 5 trips to remote caves
• 📚 Education ($5,680): teaching materials and bat-themed games for kids, a portable projector and sound system, and community workshops in 5 localities
• 🦇 Habitat protection ($4,650): interpretive signs for 10 key caves, community cave-cleanup brigades, training for local “guardians of the roosts,” and artificial bat roost boxes for species that have lost their caves
• ⚡ Keeping the team going ($7,910): portable power stations and solar panels for blackouts, a rugged laptop, mobile data, permits and licenses, and an emergency fund that includes food and basic needs for the scientists and their families

Total goal: $24,000.

Your gift at work

• $25 funds 1 interpretive sign to protect a key bat cave
• $80 funds a first-aid and biosecurity kit for safe bat handling
• $100 funds rechargeable batteries and solar chargers for field work
• $200 funds a GPS unit, or 6 months of mobile data for coordinating the team
• $360 funds one remote field expedition, including food
• $500 funds an ultrasound bat detector, the heart of the acoustic library
• $700 funds a portable power station to keep work going through blackouts
• $1,000 funds bat roost boxes for species that have lost their caves

Where this is going

With your help, CUBABAT can build the first acoustic library of Cuban bat calls, run educational circles in schools, and bring young researchers into the field. They are also partnering with organizations that serve people with disabilities, so conservation belongs to everyone, and we are proud to work with Amicus Esse on youth exchange and neurodiversity-inclusive bat education.

Every gift sends the team a message:

We see your work. We believe in your mission. We stand with you.

Give today, and share this page with one person who loves science, nature, or a good underdog story.

Why Bats Matter to Our Planet

1. Regenerate Ecosystems: They pollinate plants and regenerate tropical forests through natural seed dispersal.
2. Protect Agriculture: They consume enormous numbers of insects and pests, naturally preserving local crops.
3. Support Communities: Healthy bat populations support healthy ecosystems, healthy agriculture, and ultimately healthier human environments.

A Global Family United for Conservation

This campaign is about more than funding equipment. It is about standing beside courageous scientists who continue their mission despite tremendous obstacles. It is about demonstrating that conservation unifies humans and knows no borders. It is about ensuring that the dedicated people protecting Cuba's bats are not working alone.

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