Rwanda: How Bat Conservation Protects People and Nature

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying The New Times of Kigali, reported on 29 July 2026 that Rwandan conservation and health officials are trying to shift public attitudes toward bats, which are often feared or killed despite their ecological value. Richard Muvunyi of the Rwanda Development Board said a national awareness effort is promoting safer coexistence with bats, including protecting roosts and reducing risky contact between people and wildlife.

The report says Rwanda has more than 54 bat species. Insect-eating bats help control mosquitoes and crop pests, while fruit bats support pollination and seed dispersal for plants such as mangoes and avocados. Conservationists argue that protecting bat habitats benefits biodiversity, agriculture and public health, because stressed or disturbed wildlife can increase the chance of pathogens moving to people.

Muvunyi linked the issue to Rwanda’s first Marburg outbreak in late 2024, saying mine workers in a Nyarugenge cave disturbed bats while trying to drive them away. The campaign, called Community Orientation Meetings on Zoonotic Disease Risk from Wildlife, Mitigation, Prevention and Control Measures at High-Risk Interfaces, has begun in Bugesera and Rwamagana and is expected to expand. It is organised by the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association with RDB and targets local leaders, health workers, security personnel and conservation practitioners.

Residents and local officials quoted by The New Times said the outreach is changing practices, including discouraging chemical use, trapping, tree-cutting and burning bat habitats. The advice includes avoiding bat-inhabited caves, not hunting or eating bats, using protection when cleaning contaminated areas, and seeking medical care after bites or scratches. An FAO One Health specialist cited broader risks from deforestation, urbanisation and wildlife exploitation.