The Ozark big-eared bat is an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

found only in a small number of caves in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

and

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, the southern central United States. Also known as the western big-eared bat, the long-eared bat, and the lump-nosed bat, its appearance is defined by a pair of outsize ears and a lump-adorned nose. The

Ozark The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant portio ...

big-eared

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...

is the largest and reddest of the five

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of ''

Corynorhinus townsendii Townsend's big-eared bat (''Corynorhinus townsendii'') is a species of vesper bat. Description Townsend's big-eared bat is a medium-sized bat (7-12 g)

'' and is medium-sized and weighs from 0.2 to 0.5 ounces.U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service It has very large, 1-inch-long ears that connect at the base across the forehead. The snout has large, prominent lumps above the nostrils. These particular bats feed on moths and other insects; they forage along forest edges.

Importance

Bats are beneficial to our planet in a myriad of ways. A colony of big brown bats can eat 18 million cucumber beetles.Wild Cave National Park The insectivorous food habits of bats play an important role in maintaining a balance among insect populations.Bogan Other species of bats, especially in temperate zones, are insectivorous and collectively consume large quantities of insects.Bogan Bat droppings or

guano Guano (Spanish from qu, wanu) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. G ...

support entire ecosystems of unique organisms, including bacteria which are useful in detoxifying wastes, as well as producing gasohol (mixture of gasoline and alcohol) and certain

antibiotics An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention o ...

Habitat

The caves used by Ozark big-eared bats are located in

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

regions dominated by oak-hickory forests. Karst, a special type of landscape, is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, including limestone and dolomite. The temperature of

hibernation Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...

caves ranges from 40 to 50 °F (4.4 to 10 °C). The Ozark big-eared bats use caves all year around, thus they are highly susceptible to extinction if their homes vary too greatly in temperature, are disturbed, or are destroyed. The Ozark big-eared bats once lived in caves in

, and

,.National Geographic but they have apparently abandoned their Missouri habitat due to human encroachment and cave disturbance.

Offspring

Maternity colonies are located in caves that range in temperature between 50 and 59 °F (10 to 15 °C). Big-eared bats mate in the fall and store their sperm during the wintertime and at the end of

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...

occurs. Further reinforcing their fragile state, Ozark big-eared bats give birth to a single offspring. Because of their low birth rate, these mammals can easily become

over-exploited Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Continued overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource, as it will be unable to replenish. The term ap ...

. Young bats grow quite rapidly and are capable of flight at three weeks, and by six weeks, they are weaned from the mother.

Causes of decline

Concern about the

conservation status The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation ...

of bats is developing, as many species of bats are increasingly affected by humans.Bogan Bats face multiple threats of

pesticide poisoning A pesticide poisoning occurs when pesticides, chemicals intended to control a pest, affect non-target organisms such as humans, wildlife, plant, or bees. There are three types of pesticide poisoning. The first of the three is a single and short- ...

, roost destruction and closure,

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

, diseases such as

white nose syndrome White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease in North American bats which has resulted in the dramatic decrease of the bat population in the United States and Canada, reportedly killing millions as of 2018. The condition is named for a distincti ...

, over-exploitation, and extermination as pests.Bogan

Habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological processes ...

, a major concern, creates a disruption of extensive habitats into bat populations. The primary cause of decline is disturbance. When humans enter hibernation caves, they arouse the bats, whose metabolic rate increases. A single arousal can expend 10 to 30 days of fat reserve. This can result in death by starvation, because the bats have little extra fat reserve. Predation at the cave entrance by house cats, racoons, bobcats, and other animals has also caused significant mortality.

Conservation efforts

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has established the Sequoyah/Oklahoma Bat Cave National Wildlife Refuge. In other areas, cave entrances have been fenced—to keep humans and domestic animals out of the caves but to allow bats access.

References

Bibliography

*Bogan, Michael. "Potential Effects of Global Changes on Bats." http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/impacts/biology/bats/, (accessed January 28, 2009). *Groom, Martha et al.,. Principles of Conservation Biology. Saunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates, Inc., 2006. *Karst Waters Institute, (http://www.karstwaters.org/kwitour/whatiskarst.htm), 2002-2008, (accessed February 1, 2009). *National Geographic, (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/ozark-big-eared-bat.html), 1996-2009, (accessed February 4, 2009). *U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Oklahoma/spplist.htm, (accessed January 28, 2009).

External links

Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission: Further Reading Read the ''5-Year Review: Summary & Evaluation'', prepared by Richard Stark of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Tulsa OK, May 22, 2008
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7116518 Corynorhinus Bats of the United States Endemic fauna of the United States Fauna of the Plains-Midwest (United States) Ozarks Endemic fauna of Arkansas Endemic fauna of Oklahoma Natural history of Missouri Endangered fauna of the United States ESA endangered species Species endangered by habitat loss Species endangered by disease