Endangered Northern Long-Eared Bat Establishes Population in 'Caveless' Alabama, Escaping White-Nose Syndrome

Coastal Alabama is 'caveless' but has a colony of endangered northern long-eared bats, a species known to be cave dwellers. This assisted the populace in avoiding the dangers posed by white-nose syndrome.

New Population of Cave-Dwelling Bats in 'Caveless' Alabama

A previously unknown population of cave-dwelling bats has been discovered, potentially offering a lifeline to the endangered northern long-eared bat. This species has earned endangered status, primarily due to the relentless onslaught of white-nose syndrome, a devastating disease wreaking havoc on the northern long-eared and other cave-dwelling bat species in North America.

Nick Sharp, a biologist from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADNCR), proposes that Coastal Alabama may emerge as a sanctuary where these bats can endure the white-nose syndrome's challenges.

In a significant announcement, the ADNCR revealed that earlier this year, diligent researchers made a remarkable find: a thriving breeding population of the northern long-eared bat within the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area in eastern Baldwin County. During a comprehensive bat survey conducted in May, they managed to capture a male and two pregnant females.

This invaluable discovery occurred within a parcel of land secured for perpetual safeguarding through Alabama's Forever Wild Land Trust program, an initiative that harnesses revenues generated from offshore oil and gas rigs to procure ecologically sensitive terrain for preservation.

What sets this Alabama population apart is their peculiar lifestyle. These bats, in a seemingly unique fashion, inhabit the woodlands year-round and do not resort to cave hibernation during the harsh winter months, thereby distinguishing them from their cave-dependent counterparts.

Escaping White-Nose Syndrome

Given the absence of caves in these regions and the apparent lack of hibernation among these bats, Sharp emphasized the significance of this discovery. The year-round activity pattern of the newly discovered coastal Alabama population provides a sort of defensive mechanism against white-nose syndrome.

Recently, white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease, has been responsible for devastating cave-dwelling bat populations in the United States. The disease has taken a severe toll on the northern long-eared bat, a common cave-dwelling species in eastern North America.

According to estimates from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, once white-nose syndrome infiltrates a cave, it has the potential to wipe out anywhere from 97% to 100% of the northern long-eared bat population dwelling within that cave.

Conservation of Endangered Northern Long-Eared Bats

In 2022, the northern long-eared bat faced an endangered status due to a severe population decline. Notably, a new population of these bats has emerged along the coastal shores of Alabama. This discovery unfolded in May during Alabama's annual Bat Blitz, an event that brings bat researchers together to assess local bat populations across the state.

Biologists from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), in collaboration with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alabama Bat Working Group, revisited the site in June in search of a maternal colony. They successfully captured a male and a lactating female bat, indicating recent births in the vicinity.

Despite an attempt to track the bats to their daytime roost using radio tags, the effort yielded no results. Nevertheless, subsequent captures of northern long-eared bats affirm the presence of a resident breeding population in the area. Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner and Chair of the Forever Wild Land Trust Board of Trustees, emphasized the state's ongoing efforts to acquire land along the Perdido River corridor for conservation.

This discovery underscores the land's significance in eastern Baldwin County, where protection efforts are underway.