INDIANA – To help prevent the extinction of the tricolored bat, The USFWS has proposed listing it as an endangered species.
This designation will provide added protection to the bat, along with their winter and summer habitats, caves, and forests.
Tricolored bat populations have declined by nearly 90% across more than half of the areas this species occurs. A cold-dwelling fungus that occurs in caves, called white-nose syndrome is the leading cause of population declines in tricolored bats, as well as other cave-hibernating bat species. This fungus causes disease in hibernating bats that rapidly burns through limited fat reserves and leads to death.
You can help the tricolored bat by not exploring caves that bats use during winter months, decontaminating clothes and equipment between caves, and minimizing disturbance to bats when caving.
