INTRODUCTION 



There are more species of bats worldwide than any other group of 

 mammals except rodents, totalling some 950 species with nearly 

 worldwide distribution (Hill and Smith 1984). Most are considered 

 beneficial to man, and play key ecological roles as plant pollinators 

 and voracious insect eaters, yet as a group few mammals have been 

 more misunderstood. Today, many species of bats are potentially 

 threatened with extinction, and most bat populations have been 

 reduced due to direct attempts at extermination, indirect loss 

 through pesticide poisoning and roost distiorbanoe, and loss through 

 degradation of food sources and habitat loss or alteration (Fenton 

 1992). 



The National Forest Management Act of 1976 and United States Forest 

 Service (USFS) policy require that Forest Service land be managed to 

 maintain viable populations of all existing native and desirable non- 

 native plants, fish, and wildlife (FSM 2601.2). A viable population 

 has the size and distribution of reproductive individuals to ensure 

 continued existence of the species throughout its existing range (FSM 

 2605 ) . Species recognized by the Forest Service as needing special 

 management in order to meet this objective are those designated under 

 the Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered, those 

 candidate species londer consideration for such designation, and those 

 classified as Sensitive Species. Sensitive Species are plant and 

 animal species identified by the Regional Forester for which 

 population viability is a concern as evidenced by a significant 

 downward trend in pc^xilation numbers or habitat capability that would 



