Bats of the United States and Canada

Endangered Species and Subspecies

72 bats of the united states and canada Endangered Species and Subspecies Indiana bat (Indiana myotis), Myotis sodalis The Indiana bat was listed as endangered throughout its range in the United States by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in March 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 and is currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. A recovery plan for this species was approved (on an interim basis) in June 1976 and a final plan was approved in October 1983. In 1995, the Indiana bat recovery team began revising the plan; a technical draft Indiana bat recovery plan was prepared in October 1996. An agency draft Indiana bat recovery plan was completed in March 1999. As of early 2011 a final draft plan had not been approved. Hibernating cluster of endangered Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis). As many as 5,167 of these bats may occupy a square meter (480 bats per square foot). Michael J. Harvey recto runninghead 73 The range of the Indiana bat is from Oklahoma, Iowa, and Wisconsin eastward to Vermont and southward to northwestern Florida. The total population of this species was estimated to be 387,485 during winter 2009, down from an estimated 883,000 in 1965. From 2001 to 2007, three biennial surveys indicated that the population of Indiana bats had increased by more than 10% during each survey. However, the 2009 survey showed a 17% decline since 2007 (a loss of 80,346 bats). Numerous caves and mines have been gated to prevent hibernating populations from being disturbed by humans. After several years of increases, the population of Indiana bats (as well as populations of other cave-dwelling species) is again declining, primarily due to mortality from white-nose syndrome. For additional information about this bat, see the species account. Gray bat (Gray myotis), Myotis grisescens The gray bat was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in April 1976. A gray bat recovery plan was prepared by that agency and approved in July 1982. The range of the gray bat is concentrated in the cave regions of Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, with a few additional colonies and individuals located in Unlike most cave-dwelling bats, the endangered gray bat (Myotis grisescens) inhabits caves year round. Roger W. Barbour endangered species and subspecies 73 74 bats of the united states and canada adjacent states. Gates have been placed at openings of numerous caves to protect hibernating, maternity, bachelor, and transient colonies from disturbance by humans. Largely due to this effort, the population of gray bats has more than doubled since 1982 to more than 3.4 million in 2007. However, gray bats infected with white-nose syndrome were discovered in Missouri in 2010. Because of their clustering behavior during hibernation, and the fact that more than 95% of gray bats hibernate in about 15 caves, the disease will likely devastate the population. For additional information about this bat, see the species account. Virginia big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus The Virginia big-eared bat was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December 1979. A recovery plan for this Hibernating cluster of endangered Virginia big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus). Michael J. Harvey recto runninghead 75 endangered species and subspecies 75 subspecies (and the Ozark big-eared bat) was completed in 1984. At that time, the genus name of this bat was Plecotus. The Virginia big-eared bat is present only in parts of Kentucky, Virginia , West Virginia, and North Carolina. When this subspecies was listed as endangered in 1979, the total population was estimated to be 3,500. This increased to about 10,000 in the 1980s, 15,000 during the 1990s, and more than 18,000 by 2000. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently completed and approved a Virginia big-eared bat captive propagation plan, the first plan of this type for any species of bat in the United States. A facility has been constructed at the National Zoo and bats have been collected for the project. For additional information about this bat, see the species account. Ozark big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii ingens The Ozark big-eared bat was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in November 1979. A recovery plan for this subspecies (and the Virginia big-eared bat) was completed...