ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ

ºÚÁÏÌìÌà is a state of great biological diversity and bats are no exception. With over 6,000 caves hidden in the state's karst geology and extensive forests, ºÚÁÏÌìÌà provides a home to 16 species of cave and tree dwelling bats.

ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ's bats are insectivores and provide a great economic benefit to the people of ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ, consuming millions of crop pests each evening. Scientists estimate the pest control services provided by bats in the United States exceed $3 billion a year. Yet the well-being of bats in ºÚÁÏÌìÌà is a concern, as they face a number of environmental threats including habitat destruction, water pollution, pesticide uses, disturbance of caves, and .

All but one of ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ's bat species are listed as Highest, High, or Moderate Conservation Concern in the . Three ºÚÁÏÌìÌà bat species are listed as  by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Several species are State Protected.

The ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Bat Monitoring and Conservation Program seeks to manage, protect, conserve, and enhance the native bat species of ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ. The Program pursues this mission by monitoring bat populations, catalyzing research, promoting partnerships through the ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Bat Working Group, and providing technical assistance to the public.

Project Leader:
Nicholas Sharp, 256-353-2634

ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Bat Working Group (ABWG)
The was formed in 2009 to bring together individuals, organizations, and agencies interested in conserving ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ's bat species. The purpose of the group is to coordinate, facilitate, and focus bat conservation, research, monitoring, and outreach in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ. The state Nongame Biologist for North ºÚÁÏÌìÌà serves as lead for the the ABWG.

Monitoring Activities
The program endeavors to monitor ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ's bat populations through the following activities:

• White-Nose Syndrome surveillance.  (WNS) is a devastating fungal disease from Europe that infects cave dwelling bats in hibernation. Over 6 million bats have been killed in North America. ºÚÁÏÌìÌà is conducting a surveillance program to monitor the extent of WNS in the state. Each winter, Nongame Program staff and partners from the ABWG inspect bat hibernacula, looking for visible signs of disease and collecting biological samples to test for the presence of the fungus that causes the disease. They also count the number of bats of each species to track the effects of WNS on ºÚÁÏÌìÌà cave dwelling bat populations. .
• Gray Bat cave emergence counts. The gray bat is a federally endangered species that roosts in caves in both summer and winter. North ºÚÁÏÌìÌà is a stronghold for the species, being home to both the most important cave and most important hibernacula for the entire species. Each summer Nongame Biologists monitor the gray bat population by counting bats at priority gray bat caves as they emerge in the evening to forage.
• Search for new significant bat locations. Within the last two years, Nongame Program Biologists have documented the largest known summer population of southeastern bats in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ, documented only the second known maternity cave for southeastern bats in the state, documented 3 previously unknown hibernacula for southeastern bats, discovered the largest known ºÚÁÏÌìÌà population of Brazilian Free-tailed bats in an abandoned railroad tunnel, and documented a new significant gray bat cave.
• ABWG Bat Blitz. Each year Nongame Biologists participate in the ABWG Bat Blitz. The purpose of the Bat Blitz is to focus on a locale in ºÚÁÏÌìÌà that has been poorly sampled for bats and bring together bat biologists and enthusiasts from across the state for three days of intense bat surveys.

Cave Conservation
The ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Nongame Program works with Federal, State, non-governmental, and private entities to secure protection for major bat caves in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ. Some of these partners are:

• ADCNR, State Lands Division
• Private Landowners

Bat Species Locations in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ
The  maintains the . County-level information on the occurrence of bat species in ºÚÁÏÌìÌà is open to the public with a free user account.

Nuisance Bats
Historically, bats used caves and trees for roost sites. Human disturbance of caves and clearing of forests has dramatically reduced natural roosting opportunities for bats. Many bats have found human structures to be suitable substitutes for roosting sites. Some people are happy to provide a surrogate home for bats as long as the bats do not enter their living spaces and bats and humans do not come in direct contact with each other. Others are not comfortable sharing buildings with bats. The following links provide more information should you find the need to exclude bats from buildings:

• ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage - Bats
• Permitted Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ

Bats and Rabies
Bats, like many other mammals, can contract and transmit rabies, as well as other diseases. Although rabies has been found at one time or another in most species of bats in the United States, it is relatively uncommon. Rabid bats are seldom aggressive. Fewer than 40 people in the United States are known to have contracted rabies from bats in the past 40 years; in fact, rabies was not known to occur in bats until the 1950s.

Far more people are killed by dog attacks, bee stings, power mowers, or lightening than rabies. However, because bats can carry and transmit rabies, they should not be handled. This is especially true for bats found on the ground, because they may be unhealthy. See Bat Conservation International's  information page for details on bats and rabies. 

Rabies in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ

Viewing Bats in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ
ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ's Sauta Cave features the largest evening emergence of bats east of the Mississippi. Read more about this and other bat viewing opportunities in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ: View Bats in ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ

Additional Information on Bats