Will Endangered Bat Find a Safe Harbor in Missouri?

Caroline Pufalt

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently proposed “upgrading” the Northern long-eared bat’s status from threatened to federally endangered status. The timing of that action was due to a suit filed by the Sierra Club and other conservation groups which resulted in a March 2022 court ruling ordering the USFWS to complete a required review of the bat’s status.  

This is long overdue as the Northern long-eared bat, along with other bat species, suffer from “white nose syndrome,” a fungal disease along with habitat disruptions. Population declines are as high as 99% in some areas. Categorization as federally endangered will mean more protections, oversight, and research to help the bat. 

The Northern long-eared bat was once widespread across much of the US and parts of Canada. It is associated with mature, interior forests, including upland forests and ridgelines. Habitat for federally endangered species can be reviewed resulting in a determination of critical habitat areas. What this might mean for Missouri is undetermined, but the Northern long-eared bat is still found in our state. It could mean that timber harvest plans will be more sensitive to bat habitat and some areas even off limits for logging and other disturbances. Let’s hope our state can become a safe harbor for this endangered bat as it tries to recover its population.