There are some 30 or 40 species of bat in Europe, many of which are quite rare and there is evidence that bats are on the decline, due to pollution, persecution, disturbance and habitat destruction. This book aims to describe the problems encountered by conservation projects in various countries, identifying the species and sites in need of most attention. It also details some of the solutions already achieved, and attempts to show what measures are needed to ensure bats remain for future generations. The book forms an action plan of the Chiroptera Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The Chiroptera Specialist Group is one of over 80 groups of the SSC and draws upon the knowledge of the world's bat experts. The major aim of the SSC is to prevent the extinction of species by finding solutions to conservation problems and the IUCN's role is to co-ordinate and provide guidance on a global programme of applied conservation. There is also a section of individual European country reports on areas where bats are known to migrate. An arbitary line was selected at about longitude 27 degrees east, and countries to be included were chosen if over half their territory was west of that line.