Gray bats ■; 1934 Jett lepore. The Nalional Audubon Society Collection PR 



The Indiana hat is a federally endangered species, 

 and its populations continue to decline. Disturbance to 

 hihemation sites and destruction of summer hahitat are 

 the primary causes of decline, hut pesticide poisoning 

 prohably is a significant culprit. One cave and one 

 abandoned mine in Illinois receive special protection 

 to provide safe winter habitat for Indiana hats. Con- 

 servation measures to ensure the availability of suitable 

 summer habitat are not easily implemented and require 

 concerted efforts and a great deal of support from Illi- 

 nois citizens. 



Southeastern Bat, Myotis austroriparius. The south- 

 eastern bat typically weighs '/3 ounce. It can be con- 

 fused with several other species of Myotis, but the Illi- 

 nois members of this species have woolly, dark basal fur 

 with orangish tips. The fur on their underparts is more 

 whitish than that on other Myotis and their noses are 

 more pink. The southeastern bat is primarily a coastal 

 species, but its range extends into extreme southern 

 Illinois. It prefers caves and mines, from which it has 

 been reported in southern Illinois, but it may be found 



in buildings or other types of shelter. 



Pregnant females and females that had recently 

 given birth were captured in mist nets set over a stream 

 in southern Illinois during the statewide bat research 

 project. These captures represented the first docu- 

 mentation that this species reproduces in the state. 

 Previously, only males had been reported from a few 

 caves and abandoned mines in southern counties. 



This species normally produces twins, a charac- 

 teristic that is unique among the Myotis species. 

 Females usually establish nursery colonies in caves in 

 much the same way as gray bats. Like gray and Indiana 

 bats, the "social" behavior of this species has led to 

 drastic population declines. Due to habitat destruction 

 and disturbance by man, this species is being consid- 

 ered for endangered status by the U.S. Fish and Wild- 

 life Service. It is already classified as a state endangered 

 species by the Illinois Endangered Species Protection 

 Board. 



Keen's Bat, Myotis keenii. The '/s-ounce, brownish 

 Keen's bat is distinguished most easily from other 13 



