A greater long-nosed bat hanging from an agave. Photo credit: Horizonline Pictures.
Partner Organisations: Bat Conservation International and Northeast Mexico Agave Restoration Network
Location: Mexico and USA
What do tequila and the greater long-nosed bat have in common?
Surprisingly, both depend on the same spiky plant: the agave. While best known for producing alcohol and sweet syrup, it is far more than just a commercial crop. Agave is a keystone species, its nectar vital to many species, including threatened bats, and human livelihoods in Central and Northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Our newest two Alliance partners, Bat Conservation International and the Northeast Mexico Agave Restoration Network, are working to restore agave habitats so that people and bats can thrive.
An ejidatario in an agave field. Photo credit: Kristen Lear, Bat Conservation International
Bat Conservation International has a truly global reach, promoting protection of priority habitats for bats and positive coexistence with people worldwide. Closer to their Headquarters in Austin, Texas, Bat Conservation International has been instrumental in the remarkable recovery of lesser long-nosed bats, whose populations grew from 1,000 known individuals in 1988 to an estimated 200,000 in 2024 after bat roosts were legally protected.
Now, alongside Northeast Mexico Agave Restoration Network—a coalition of non-profits, ejido communities, private ranchers, federal and state agencies, companies and universities—they have launched the Agave Restoration Initiative. It is supporting endangered bats as they migrate northwards from Mexico to the US every Spring, which rely heavily on the nectar from agave on route.
Leptonycteris nivalis feeding on agave. Photo credit: Horizonline Pictures, Bat Conservation International.
To date, the Initiative is restoring over 5,600 hectares of agave habitat, planting more than 115,000 agaves along the US and Mexico migratory corridor. Moreover, the Initiative has formed 15 long-term agreements with Mexican ejidos to oversee the restoration of degraded lands along crucial ‘nectar corridors,’ ensuring that agaves are left to flower— a process that can take up to a decade!
The 10-year goal is to expand this impact by rewilding and protecting 95,000 hectares. These efforts are helping to secure a total area that influences approximately 50 million hectares along the bi-national migratory corridor.
Planting agaves. Photo credit: Horizonline Pictures, Bat Conservation International.
The Agave Restoration Initiative emphasises equitable, community-based work that supports both bat recovery and sustainable livelihoods. The project has established 26 nurseries producing agave for habitat restoration but also vegetables and medicinal plants for local communities. The Initiative also provides training for women-owned businesses focused on mezcal production, habitat restoration and the use of native medicinal plants, empowering women to play a leading role in conservation and economic development. These actions significantly enhance human livelihoods in Mexico and the US, creating a more resilient future for both people and wildlife.
Those interested to learn more about Bat Conservation International or Northeast Mexico Agave Restoration Network and how you can get involved, please visit Bat Conservation International and the Northeast Mexico Agave Restoration Network.
If you are rewilding yourself, please get in touch with our team!