Stepping Up to Bat

Few animals are as emblematic of the Halloween season as bats are. Its not exactly clear why this should be so: they are, for the most part, inoffensive and reclusive, with no interest whatsoever in harming humans. But the distrust many people have for bats has resulted in many species of bats becoming very rare indeed, and one of the most endangered bats of all lives right here in the United States: the Florida bonneted bat.
Less than 500 Florida bonneted bats currently live in the southern regions of Florida, the only place in the world where the species is found. It is an unmistakable sight in the wild--it is North America's largest bat, sporting a wingspan of nearly two feet, and its ears are folded forward giving it a distinctive bonnet- or cowl-like appearance. These insect-eating bats are solitary, and roost primarily in rock crevices and tree holes. Unlike most bats, the Florida bonneted bat is capable of taking off from a flat surface.
While the Florida bonneted bat was probably never a common animal, its recent catastrophic decline is most likely due to the rapid urban development Florida--especially southern Florida-- has seen in recent decades. Its small range coincides with the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, all of which rapidly expanded and urbanized during the 20th century. With the cities taking over the areas the bats needed to roost, the population plummeted to its present low number. It also didn't help that in 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed many of the remaining roost sites, but that, of course, was something humans had no control over.
Another problem the bonneted bat--and by extension, all bats--faces is pesticides. When Florida became a major exporter of citrus fruits, the pesticides sprayed on the orchards accumulated in the ecosystem and became toxic for insect-eating animals such as bats.
All is not lost, however. While not as numerous as bird enthusiasts, bat enthusiasts definitely exist and have made major contributions to the conservation of these animals. They erect bat boxes to give bats a place to roost for the day, and sometimes even allow bats to roost in their own houses. Even if you can't make a bat box, or don't want to, you can still also make a contribution by only buying pesticide-free produce, which is free of the chemicals that can harm bats.

A Florida bonneted bat, one of the rarest mammals in the world. We may not think we have much use for bats and other "scary" animals, but they are quite dependent on us for their own survival.