Indiana Bat Project Review in Michigan

The Indiana bat was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1967 due to episodes of people disturbing hibernating bats in caves during winter, which resulted in the death of substantial numbers of bats. Indiana bats are vulnerable to disturbance because they hibernate in large numbers in only a few sites, with major hibernacula supporting 20,000 to 50,000 bats. Since it was listed as endangered, the range-wide Indiana bat population has declined by nearly 60%. Several threats are believed to have contributed to the Indiana bat’s decline, including the commercialization of caves, loss and degradation of forested habitat, pesticides and other contaminants, and most recently, the disease white-nose syndrome (WNS).