Bat-human encounters: Exploring practices of conservation, coexistence and care in urban spaces in the Netherlands

This thesis explores the dynamic relationships between humans and bats in urban environments in the Netherlands, highlighting how encounters, perceptions, and emotional experiences influence conservation outcomes. While urban wildlife conservation typically focuses on managing species at a broader level, this research emphasizes the emotional, ethical, and spatial aspects of human-bat interactions, areas that have largely been overlooked.

The study involves three participant groups: bat advocates, residents, and students, and it utilizes multiple theoretical frameworks. Actor-Network Theory is employed to examine how the interactions among bats, humans, spaces, and technologies shape conservation practices. The Ethics of Care emphasizes empathy, responsibility, and attentiveness in shared living environments, while Compassionate Conservation considers coexistence within the context of design, legislation, and the agency of bats. Environmental Literacy underscores the importance of affective educational practices in promoting understanding and advocacy for urban bat conservation.

Through a qualitative approach, the research reveals how emotions, knowledge, and spatial contexts interact to transform traditional conservation models. It demonstrates that bats actively participate in socio-ecological networks and that human-bat relationships are deeply rooted in place-based care and long-term engagement. The thesis advocates for recognizing bats as co-designers of urban spaces and partners in conservation efforts. By integrating human values, bat agency, and relational ethics, it envisions urban conservation as a collaborative, multispecies effort, promoting more inclusive and vibrant city spaces that support diverse forms of life.