We identified potential threats for each bat species listed in the checklist using the information from the IUCN Red List assessments (version 2020.1) in addition to threats highlighted in the literature. The IUCN Red List standardised its classification based on Salafsky et al.27, but we reclassified the threatening process into three key categories: Direct, Indirect, and Natural (Table 1) based on the drivers of threat12,20,28. Direct threats (Tdir) refer to the threats or risks that are direct to or in cave systems with immediate and perceivable impacts on populations or behaviour of species. This category includes direct human impacts (e.g., persecution, eviction, and cave closures) and the use of caves for harvesting bats, tourism, religious visits, and mining (minerals or guano). Indirect threats (Tind) refer to the threats outside cave systems or within cave proximity, of which the impacts to populations are secondary or non-immediate but otherwise detrimental. Examples include deforestation, agriculture, and urbanisation. Lastly, Natural threats (Tnat) refer to threats that are natural in origin, though their frequency may be impacted by human activities, and that may directly or indirectly impact populations, such as diseases and climate-driven risks (e.g., drought, extreme cold) (Table 1).