Spotted bat
The spotted bat has spots! Three white spots on its black back to be exact. A white belly and enormous pink ears make this bat unlike any other in Canada. This bat is only 10 cm long but has a wingspan of just over 30 cm.
Where it Lives
We have only recently discovered the spotted bat in British Columbia. Why haven’t we noticed this incredible-looking bat before now? Perhaps because it hides inside deep cracks on steep cliffs during the day only to come out well after dark. When spotted bats are hunting at night, they like dry river valleys, open pine forests and grasslands where they eat only moths. They have been detected in most of the valleys near Lillooet closeby water. But no one knows where they go in the winter!
Conservation Concern
Spotted bats are BLUE-LISTED in British Columbia, meaning they are at risk. Scientists think there are about 1000 adults living in BC. Residential and commercial development is thought to be the number one threat to our spotted bat friends.
What you can do
Build a bat box! (link) Although spotted bats don’t like these artificial homes, you can provide other bat species with a comfortable place to sleep near your home. Recreational activities like rock climbing may disturb their roosting sites. If you see any bat activity while climbing, we’d love to know and learn more about their daytime homes.
