Bats

Help Protect Our Bats!

1. Clean Your Gear before Caving: Make sure to clean your footwear and caving gear to prevent the spread of deadly fungal disease affecting bats. A quick spray down with alcohol goes a long way! Stop at the visitor center to sanitize for free.

2. Spotting a Bat?: If you see a bat, keep your distance! Do not touch or pick it up.

3. Contact with a Bat?: If you have direct contact, please seek medical help as soon as you exit the cave to prevent rabies. 

Thank you for helping us protect these vital creatures!

For more information on white-nose syndrome, visit white-nose syndrome.org .

 

Fringed Myotis

NPS Photo

Bat Basics

Bats are one of Coronado National Memorial’s valuable animal assets. Bats help pollinate plants, disperse seeds, and eat pest insects. Of all the mammal species, bats are the only ones capable of true flight. Their wings are specially adapted to various purposes like speed, endurance, and agility. While feeding at night, bats use echolocation to find and eat their insect prey.

Confirmed bat species in the park:

Lesser Long-nosed Bat (endangered)
Townsend’s Bat
Hoary Bat
Southwestern myotis
California myotis
Small-footed myotis
Fringed myotis
Cave myotis

While we may not feel like cuddling up with them, bats are our friends in keeping insects under control, helping plants thrive, and so much more. Learn about the biggest current threat to bats, White-nose Syndrome and how to prevent it.