800 Dead Bats Seized in Major India Wildlife Trafficking Bust

On October 26, 2025, Indian forest officials conducted a major wildlife trafficking bust, arresting 11 suspected poachers and seizing over 800 dead bats that were being illegally traded. The bats, which are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, were discovered stuffed into sacks at an abandoned timber factory that the poachers had turned into a makeshift slaughterhouse.

According to the investigation, the poachers had stunned the bats using a chemical spray to easily capture and kill them. They intended to transport the rare bats for sale on the black market, in violation of animal cruelty laws and wildlife protection regulations.

This crackdown on the illegal wildlife trade is a significant victory for conservationists, but authorities warn that it is just the "tip of the iceberg." Without permanent staffing and better patrols, poaching and trafficking of vulnerable species like these bats will continue to thrive. Improved systemic reforms are needed to protect wildlife and disrupt the complex criminal networks behind the lucrative black market trade.