Status and Management of Endangered Bats in Kentucky

Three species of bats are endangered in Kentucky: the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), the gray bat (M. grisescens), and the Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus). Because some level of monitoring of these bats has taken place at Kentucky caves for several decades, trends can be assessed and some effects of management practices can be evaluated. In Kentucky, populations of Indiana bats continue to decline despite numerous protection efforts, populations of gray bats appear stable, and populations of Virginia big-eared bats are increasing.