BatsLab is a joint initiative by A/Prof Christopher Turbill & Prof Justin Welbergen to create a much-needed primary academic destination for bat research in Australia.

Lack of knowledge is recognised as one of the major threats to the conservation of bats in Australia. We at aim to increase the understanding of Australia’s weird and wonderful bats and are committed to ensuring that conservation policy, practice and guidance is based on a robust scientific evidence base.

We combine our interests in ecophysiology, behavioural ecology and conservation to better understand the drivers of bat declines and so provide the information needed to underpin appropriate management interventions.
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Our research is intrinsically collaborative and so we invite academics and conservation managers with an interest in Australian bats to join us in this endeavour.

We are based at the Lab of Animal Ecology of the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, but our field work takes us across most Australian States and Territories, including Christmas Island.
*** New opportunity: PhD Scholarship at Western Sydney University ***
Project: Ecology of the eastern horseshoe bat and its sensitivity to impacts of fire
Applications due: 30 November 2025
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