How Bats Keep Our Forests Alive | Full Documentary

Bats are among the forest’s most mysterious—and most essential—inhabitants. Guided by biologist Laurent Tillon, Head of Biodiversity at France’s National Forests Office, this documentary enters their hidden nocturnal world. From underground hibernation sites and ancient tree roosts to scientific capture missions high in the canopy, researchers reveal how bats hunt, communicate, raise their young and navigate through darkness using echolocation. Far from the frightening creatures of popular legend, bats help protect forests by consuming vast numbers of insects and maintaining the delicate balance of woodland ecosystems. Their presence can reveal whether a forest is healthy, connected and resilient. But roads, intensive agriculture, wind turbines, habitat loss and wildfires are placing growi