Affected Species

Our program improves the conservation and management of all bats that roost in mine and cave habitats and are threatened in some way. In the Western United States, those most affected by mine closures are the federally endangered lesser long-nosed bat and such “species of concern” as the California leaf-nosed bat, cave myotis, Mexican free-tailed bat and Townsend’s big-eared bat.

lesser long-nosed bat Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (federally endangered)	townsend’s big-eared bat Corynorhinus townsendii	cave myotis bat Myotis velifer
California leaf-nosed bat Macrotus californicus	Mexican free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis

Most bats that benefit from our conservation efforts are insectivorous – they eat vast quantities of insects, including many agricultural and forest pests. Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas are home to three nectar-feeding bats (the lesser long-nosed bat, Mexican long-nosed bat and long-tongued bat) that are extremely important to the pollination and life cycle of agaves, saguaros and cacti.

Photos © Merlin D. Tuttle, BCI