Indiana Bats

Indiana Bats
      By: Danny Rogers

          The Indiana Bat is endangered in several states and Washtenaw County, Michigan.
      The main causes of the Indiana Bat’s decline are the disturbance of its habitat, amateur speleologists and the killing of bats by vandals. Also contributing to its endangerment is the drop in the number of mayflies, the bat's main food source, due to pollution of the waters and deforestation near the openings to caves. Other threats to the bats include the use of pesticides and collisions with gates at the entrances to caves. The gates were put up to keep people out.
      The Indiana Bat is protected by the 1973 United States Endangered Species Act in all of the states where it lives. A few of its caves and mines have gained the legal status of Critical Habitat. Others have become state or federal property, and now enjoy partial protection from the government. It is endangered throughout its range. It was added to the Federal Register on March 11, 1967.
      In 1976, the U.S. Department of the Interior considered the Indiana Bat in danger of extinction and laws were enacted to protect it. Measures were taken to protect all of the major caves used by the bats during the winter as well as the important sites where the females give birth. The Indiana Bats future is still uncertain.
                The Indiana Bat has a soft, fine, chestnut-colored coat on its back and a pinkish color under the belly. The Indiana Bat is 1.5 to 2 inches long. It weighs about .25 oz and its wingspan is around 9 or 10 inches.   The Indiana bat is medium-sized, closely resembling the little brown bat but differing in coloration. Its fur is a dull grayfish chestnut rather than bronze, with the basal portion of the hairs of the back dull lead colored. This bat's under parts are pinkish to cinnamon, and its hind feet smaller and more delicate than in M. Lucufugus. The cal car (heel of the foot) is strongly keeled.           The Indiana Bat's family is... [continues]

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