NC Biologists Capture 1st Indiana Bat Since 2015 in Nantahala Forest
Updated
Updated · WRAL News · Jul 20
NC Biologists Capture 1st Indiana Bat Since 2015 in Nantahala Forest
3 articles · Updated · WRAL News · Jul 20
Summary
NCWRC biologists caught an endangered Indiana bat in Graham County’s Nantahala National Forest, the first capture of the species in North Carolina since 2015.
The team was surveying for bat colonies that survived white-nose syndrome after recently finding little brown bats in the area and widening its search for other survivors.
White-nose syndrome has killed an estimated 6.7 million bats since 2006 and has hit mountain bat populations in North Carolina especially hard.
Indiana bats have been federally endangered since 1967; a single bat was confirmed in Haywood County five years ago during a roost survey, but mist-netting allowed biologists to capture and examine this one directly.
The find points to possible surviving habitat for a species that helps control insect populations, with bats consuming billions of insects each year.