The Indiana bat is about the same size as a mouse, with fur that varies from black to light brown, but the overall color is dull gray.
Photos courtesy of the Department of the Interior and the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
By Evan Satterwhite and Linda Potter Department for Natural Resources
In 1967, the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), became the newest addition to the federal endangered species list. Once numbering in the millions, scientists estimate their current population at around 457,000. Historical causes of population decline in the Indiana bat are mainly the result of man's activities. Because the Indiana bat migrates between summer and winter, it faces threats specific to each area.
During the winter, human disturbance to hibernating bats has been a primary cause of decline. A single cave or abandoned mine can be the winter home (or hibernacula) for tens of thousands of bats, thus disturbing one area can have serious consequences. In the summer, stream channelization, deforestation and agricultural development have historically been the greatest threats since this is the time that females establish their colonies underneath the loose tree bark and bear their young just before returning to their caves in the fall.
Being listed as endangered or threatened is not necessarily a death sentence. Many animals, such as the bald eagle and the American alligator, once hovered on the brink of extinction, but are now recovering. Landowners' actions and activities can help the bats recover, but changes in regulations for surface mining in Kentucky and other states will also further preserve their habitat.
The Kentucky Division of Mine Permits recently implemented new regulations that identify the habitat of the Indiana bat and provide protective measures to minimize the negative impact of mining on the survival rate of the species.
Dr. Richard Wahrer, an environmental scientist with the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources, was recently appointed to a team of national experts and