Tools to Support Endangered Bats

NPLSF provides funding for monitoring equipment at Apostle Islands

Big Brown Bat, Leah Riley/USFWS, Public Domain, www.fws.gov/media/big-brown-bat

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is home to an array of unique features, including sea caves, rugged cliffs, and windswept islands. The lakeshore is also a vital habitat for seven bat species, including three of the four listed as endangered in the state of Wisconsin.

Monitoring the bat populations is a key component of the park’s protection initiatives. National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) recently supported these efforts by providing funding for monitors. 

Park staff install monitors at various locations in the park each year to learn more about bat

numbers, health, and species over time. Using them has enabled the park to document the

presence of multiple bat species, including the Little Brown and Big Brown, which are listed as endangered in Wisconsin and the Northern Long-Eared bat, which is also listed  federally as endangered. 

A maternity colony of little brown bats is currently living in this old Michigan Island lighthouse.

Last year, monitors detected the first known observation of the Tricolor bat within the park, a species proposed for listing as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Furthermore, while Tricolor and Northern Long-Eared bat range maps cover only small portions of the park, staff are detecting them outside those mapped ranges. This means that, with increased survey efforts, there is potential to demonstrate range expansion into the park.

Data on range helps park staff plan and implement measures to protect bats during park projects, from historic light station rehabilitations to trail work and hazard tree clearing.

Previous monitors were old and frequently failed, requiring multiple efforts to acquire the amount of data needed for ESA standards. With NPLSF’s help, the park now has new monitors that use standard batteries and provide the reliability needed to obtain vital data. 

“These monitors are making monitoring for state and federally threatened and endangered species incredibly more efficient,” said the park’s biological technician Kassandra Arts.  “The data we collect using these monitors will aid in the efficiency of compliance for mission critical work and potentially document the expansion of rare bat species into the pristine habitats of Apostle Islands!”

Stay tuned for findings from bat monitoring, and check out the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore website for more information on scientific research and monitoring in the park.

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About The NPLSF

The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) exists to provide financial support for projects and programs that preserve the natural resources and cultural heritage of the five Lake Superior national parks: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Funded through grants and private donations, NPLSF projects and programs ensure that these great parks and historic sites are maintained for the enjoyment of all current and future visitors.

To learn how you can support our work visit nplsf.org/donate.