ABOUT US
Spanish Association for the Conservation and Research of Bats
SECEMU
The Spanish Association for the Conservation and Research of Bats (SECEMU) is a non-profit national organisation which brings together people interested in conducting research and developing conservation activities in relation to the bats of Spain, with a particular emphasis on promoting their protection.
SECEMU was founded in 1989 and registered in the National Registry of Associations in 1991 with the number 90757.
WHERE TO FIND US
Museu de Ciències Naturals de Granollers
Avenida Francesc Macià, N.º 51, 08402 Granollers (Barcelona)
Council (2026-2029)
Elena Tena
Elena holds a PhD in Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid. Her doctoral thesis focused on the distribution of bats in Central Spain using acoustic sampling and its conservation applications. After serving as a postdoctoral researcher at the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), she currently coordinates the Atlas and Red Book of the Bats of Spain.
A member of SECEMU since 2014, she served as Council Member on the SECEMU Council (2021-2025) and contributes to the Web and Rescue commissions. Furthermore, she coordinates the Rhinolophus mehelyi working group. Her work integrates applied conservation research with a strong commitment to environmental education.
Roberto Hermida
Roberto holds a PhD in Biology and is a founding member of Morcegos de Galicia and the Asociación Galega de Custodia do Territorio. He has participated in numerous research, conservation, and outreach projects involving bats, primarily in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. He has always advocated for the prominent role that the non-profit sector must play in nature conservation and for the creation of educational spaces dedicated to the study of bats.
Maria Mas Navarro
Maria has a degree in Biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a Master’s degree in Biodiversity from the University of Barcelona, where she researched the vertical stratification of the insectivorous bat communities of the Central Amazon. She is part of the bat research team at the Museum of Natural Sciences of Granollers, where she carries out projects on the conservation and dynamics of bat populations. She is currently working on her doctoral thesis on the relationship between wetlands and bats.
David López-Bosch
David is currently pursuing his PhD between the Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group (at the Granollers Museum of Natural Sciences) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). He is currently working on the use of citizen science data via the platform www.quiropteros.org to contribute to the conservation status of various European bat species, as well as the use of acoustic data to develop habitat bioindicators. His primary research interests include species conservation, the management and restoration of species and habitats, science communication, and citizen science.
Silvia Mª Cabezas León
Silvia is a biologist (registered with COBA, no. 2395) with over 17 years of experience in Environmental Consulting. In 2013, she founded the company Datum Ambiental, S.L., and that same year she conducted her first bat study.
Since 2021, she has been a member of SECEMU, where she serves on the Outreach and Rescue Committees. Since October 2023, she has been working at TRAGSATEC, supporting the Coordination of the Atlas and Red Book of Bats of Spain.
She is a member of the Governing Board of COBA and sits on the Environmental Committees at both the regional (Andalusia) and national (CGCOB) levels. In this professional regulatory role, she is responsible, among other tasks, for drafting and justifying allegations to national and regional legislation, as well as providing parliamentary defense for the latter.
Paulo Barros
Paulo is a technician and researcher at the Laboratory of Fluvial and Terrestrial Ecology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal). He has contributed to the Atlas of Portuguese Bats, the Atlas and Red Book of Bats of Spain, and served as the regional coordinator for the bat specialist group in the Red Book of Mammals of Portugal. Since 2003, he has been dedicated to the study of fauna, with a particular emphasis on the ecology, biology, and conservation of bats. His work spans a wide range of national and international projects, including environmental monitoring, academic supervision, and public outreach and awareness initiatives focused on bat conservation.
Sonia Sánchez Navarro
Sonia holds a degree in Environmental Sciences (UHU), a Master’s in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (UPO), and is currently completing her PhD thesis on bats and wind farms at the UPO in collaboration with the EBD-CSIC. Since 2012, she has run a consultancy specialized in bats, where she carries out research and conservation tasks for various types of chiropteran projects, complemented by environmental education and outreach.
At SECEMU, in addition to her role as a board member (vocal), she is a member of the commissions on bats and wind farms, bats and photovoltaic plants, and rescue.
Jorge Sereno Cadierno
Jorge is a predoctoral researcher at the Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC) in Ciudad Real. Since 2018, he has been part of multiple bat conservation and research projects in Salamanca, the Region of Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Galicia, combining these efforts with outreach activities and teaching about these animals. Generally, he is interested in the ecology, conservation, and natural history of vertebrates (among others), collaborating on studies with various researchers and organizations.
The SECEMU Council was elected at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on December 13th, 2025. The Council consists of eight people from different areas of Spain and Portugal, from the most varied personal and professional profiles, but all with the common passion for bats.
Members
Become a member
Would you like to form part of the largest organisation in the Iberian Peninsula, Balearics and Macaronesia solely devoted to the research and conservation of bats as well as raising awareness of the same? Become a member and not only will you be helping bats but you will also receive our latest updates and occasional materials…