Working to Save Americas Rarest Bat

Bat Conservation International has teamed up with Zoo Miami and NextEra Energy to launch an aggressive campaign to save the critically endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus). Together, we will develop a regional bat lab focused on understanding the species needs in urban environments and provide on-the-ground conservation projects to ensure long-term sustainable population growth for Floridas largest and rarest bat species.

As part of the conservation efforts for the species, BCI is working closely with Zoo Miami scientists to construct specially designed bat houses. These custom-made bat boxes were strategically placed throughout the Miami area as part of a longer-term goal of creating safe homes for the Florida bonneted bats. Additional conservation efforts include monitoring the health of the bats, community outreach and awareness, discovering what insects are important prey and using citizen-scientist data to better understand the bats range in the urban landscape.

Protecting endangered species with limited ranges such as the Florida bonneted bat is a vitally important effort in preserving the natural diversity of our world, says Mylea Bayless, BCIs Senior Director, Network and Partnerships. This project would not happen without the support of NextEra and expertise from Zoo Miami. Were confident were taking steps to improve the survival and habitat for Americas rarest bat.