About Us

Our mission:

To preserve and protect native bat populations within the state of Florida.

Our Objectives:

To educate the public about bats and how to preserve bat populations in their local community.
To support and coordinate the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured, sick or orphaned bats within Florida.
To work with other organizations and governmental agencies to survey and protect bat populations within Florida.
To conduct research on the impact of urban development on bat populations in Florida and use the resulting information to minimize or eliminate adverse effects. To help property owners with nuisance bat problems and provide advice and support which will protect the colony and minimize, eliminate or mitigate any nuisance effects.
To help property owners with nuisance bat problems and provide advice and support which will protect the colony and minimize, eliminate or mitigate any nuisance effects.

Our History:

Cynthia and George Marks, founders of the organization, began working with bats in 1989. In 1994 they established the Florida Bat Center, a non profit organization for the purpose of protecting and preserving Florida's native bats. Over the past twenty years they, along with staff and volunteers, have presented hundreds of educational programs about bats, rescued and cared for hundreds of injured and orphaned bats, worked with state and local agencies on numerous bat conservation projects, and helped home and business owners with bats in their buildings. In 2006 the board of directors changed the name to the Florida Bat Conservancy. It was decided the new name better describes the statewide conservation activities of the organization.