Indiana Bat, Myotis sodalis

photo courtesy of USFWS

The Indiana bat is critically imperiled in the state of Indiana. The population is down to 10,000 individuals from over 550,000 in the early 1980’s. It is endemic to the Midwest and East Coast. The Indiana bat can live up to fifteen years. In the summer the bats live in wooded and semi-wooded areas that have streams nearby. They feed on the insects that live on or near the rivers. In the winter they hibernate in limestone caves. The limestone caves in Indiana are located at the southern end of the state, near the Ohio River. Some of the major threats to the Indiana bat are human disturbance and habitat transformation. An example of human disturbance is the fencing that is put across the openings to caves to prevent people from entering. These fences also prevent the Indiana bat from entering and further reduce the amount of hibernating habitat available. One of the most important ways to help preserve the Indiana bat is to ensure that they are not disturbed during hibernation. If the bats are disturbed they lose valuable energy stored up for the duration of their hibernation.

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