Northern Long-eared Bat Maternity Roost Project

Bats provide ecosystem services that benefit the human economy and agriculture. Many bat species across the US are in population decline due to the degradation of natural roosting habitat, wind energy development, and the effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS).  The northern long-eared bat (hereafter NLEB) has suffered catastrophic population losses in portions of its range with the arrival of White-nose Syndrome, a disease caused by the fungus Pseuodgymnoascus destructans (Pd). Pd was detected in Wyoming for the first time in the spring of 2018, marking the spread of the disease into the less-studied western portion of the NLEB’s range.  In April of 2015, USFWS determined the species warranted threatened species status, primarily because of the impacts of WNS (US Fish and Wildlife Service 2015). ESA protections afforded to NLEBs are centered on limiting disturbance to summer day roost trees and known hibernacula. Summer day roosts are critical for population persistence as they provide shelter for NLEB females to raise their offspring.

Establishing the location of maternity roost trees will inform forest managers, who may protect trees from removal or disturbance during critical times of the year. Additionally, the characterization of roost structure and habitat will help to inform forest-level management actions and in turn benefit NLEB populations in Wyoming.

Reports & Publications

Whittle, Ellen. 2019. Maternity Roost Site Selection by Northern Long-eared Bats at Multiple Spatial Scales. Wyoming Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Poster Presentation

Contact

Ellen Whittle

Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Department of Zoology and Physiology
University of Wyoming
Dept. 3166, 1000 E. University Avenue
Laramie, WY 82070

[email protected] or ellenwhittle.com

Project Lead

Funding & Partners

Funding: Wyoming State Legislature’s General Appropriation Funds in collaboration with the WY Game and Fish Department

Partners: Matt Stefanich (USFS), Nichole Bjornlie (WYGFD), Laura Beard (WYGFD), Justin Proffer (BLM)