Hi everyone! I hope you all had a good week! I have some good news for Indiana bats in the Shirey Bay Rainey Brake Wildlife Management Area in Arkansas. They are getting a new home! The only known Indian bat maternity roost in Arkansas was found in the area earlier this year, but the tree the bats were roosting in wasn’t healthy and researchers were afraid the tree might come down in a storm. Indiana bats are endangered, so obviously something had to be done.

Researchers decided to provide new roosting sites for the bats. They are using old utility poles donated by Craighead Electric Cooperative. Not only did the company donate the poles, but they also donated labor and machinery to place the poles.

Indiana bats have been listed as endangered since 1967 due to habitat loss and disturbances. Now they are suffering the effects of White Nose Syndrome. If this bat is to survive, their summer roosting sites must be protected in addition to the caves and mines where they spend their winters. Hopefully the bats will appreciate these new roosting poles and they’ll have a nice place to spend their summers for many years.

If you’d like to read more, you can find information here.