Observations on Bats at Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Authors

Michael A. Bogan, University of New Mexico
Jeffrey G. Osborne, University of Northern Colorado
Jennifer A. Clarke, University of Northern ColoradoFollow

Date of this Version

1996

Comments

Published in The Prairie Naturalist 28(3): September 1996.

Abstract

During the summers of 1992 and 1993, we conducted a survey of bats at Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Using mist nets, we captured bats and recorded species, sex, age class, and reproductive condition for each individual netted. We recorded five species, Myotis ciliolabrnm (n = 198), M. thysanodes (29), M volans (13), Eptesicus foscus (91), and Plecotus tawnsendii (43), previously known from the park. In addition, we added four species, M lucifugus (18), M. septentrionalis (9), Lasionycteris noctivagans (1), and Lasiurns cinereus (3) to the confirmed fauna of the park. Most bats captured were male (76.3%) although maternity colonies of at least M volans and P. townsendii likely exist in the park. Reproductive activity was observed for all species except L. noctivagans and L. cinereus, which probably just migrate through the area. In addition to crevices, bats used caves as summer roosts. The availability of roosts, coupled with the presence of nearby foraging areas and water sources, makes Badlands National Park an important summer habitat and likely migration stopover for bats.