Eugene's Best Bat Removal

What Bats Are Endangered and Why

If you read anything about removing bats or develop a general interest in the species, you will likely notice that they are legally protected and some are endangered. This can lead to questions like which bats are endangered and why they are endangered.

Most of the species that are endangered are at risk for similar reasons. Those threats also affect non-endangered species of bats, putting them at risk of joining their cousins on the endangered species list.

Which Bats Are Endangered

There is some disagreement about which bat species are endangered. Some official estimates are much lower than others and this can come from a range of factors. Bias towards North American bat species in research is one issue. Lack of information or the inability to get accurate counts can be another.

Some of the bat species that are endangered include the following:

Fijian free-tailed bats
Florida bonneted bat
Hill's horseshoe bat
Jamaican Flower bat
Jamaican Greater funnel-eared bat

Why Bats Are Endangered – The Threats They Face

As mentioned, nearly all of the above endangered bats were put in their current position by a similar list of factors. The following are the most important reasons that some bats are endangered.

They Have Low Population Growth

One of the big reasons that many bats are endangered is that they have a very low population growth rate. Female bats typically only have a single pup (bat baby) each year. They also do not start reproducing until they are about two years old. At the very least, bats make up for this with long lifespans that are usually at least ten years and can be over 30.

This means that bats are equipped for slow and steady population growth, not quick growth. That makes them incredibly vulnerable to any reduction in their numbers, including from other threats on this list.

People Disturbing their Roosts

Unfortunately, humans bear a significant chunk of the blame for bats being endangered. This comes from the fact that we have invaded their space and, in the process, we have destroyed or taken over their roosts.

Bats that roost in trees have seen trees cut down to make way for cities or for wood. Bats that live in caves have had their caves disturbed for quarrying or mining. Others face intentional vandalism.

Although you may not realize it, even accidentally shining a bright light into a bat cave can reduce their chances of survival or cause them to abandon the roost.

Abandoned Roosts During Pregnancy or with Pups

When bats have to abandon their roosts, that action alone can kill some of them. The results are even worse if it is a maternity colony. If the bats are still pregnant and leave the roost, they will be forced to go into smaller groups. This will reduce the benefits of large maternity colonies, such as protection from predators and body heat.

If the pups are already born but not yet old enough to fly and their mothers have to leave the roost, the young will be left to die.

Humans Destroying their Habitats

In addition to the destruction of roosts, in particular, the fact that humans keep encroaching on and destroying bats' natural habitat puts them at risk. After all, when humans go into an area, we disrupt the entire ecosystem. Bats are likely to lose food sources and may starve.

Cats

Yet another human-related threat to bats that can cause them to be endangered is cats. In fact, cats are among the most common reasons that bats die. Any time that a cat catches a bat, that bat is likely to die.

You can reduce this effect by keeping your cat inside.

White-Nose Syndrome

White-nose syndrome is a disease that has led to reduced numbers of bats in many areas, especially in North America. Bats with this disease typically have white fungus by their noses, tails, ears, and/or wings. The fungus causes bats to wake up from hibernation. That, in turn, leads to them starving and losing body fat. White-nose syndrome may also cause dehydration.

Bats Are Legally Protected

All of the above reasons are the main reason that some cities and states have made bats legally protected species. Some species are also federally protected. Those protections mean that you cannot legally disturb maternity colonies or kill bats.