Why you should vote for the Hoary bat: a thread.
What small mammal can be found in Canada, Hawaii, Bermuda, Iceland, Chile, & Scotland's Orkney Islands? That's right, it's this fluffy little powdered donut, bc underneath that floof & frosted tips is a tenacious, remarkable bat.
Hoary bats are a migratory species, & travel some of the longest distances of any bat. In fact, they are the only bats- and the only extant, native terrestrial mammal- found in Hawai'i, having flown more than 2,236mi (3,600km) over the Pacific Ocean over 10,000 years ago.
They accomplished this TWICE, migrating in 2 different waves 9,000 years apart. Thanks to their incredible endurance and determination, the Hawaiian subspecies, the ʻōpeʻapeʻa, has officially been named Hawai'i's state land mammal.
When they're not flying across oceans, they undertake smaller seasonal migrations. This is one of the only times these bats are found in groups, usually preferring to remain socially distanced and solitary (a respectable lifestyle indeed).
Moms and pups can also be found together. Unlike most bats, female Hoary bats have four nipples instead of two. While they typically give birth to twins, this abundance of nips allows them to provide for as many as 4 pups at a time.
Their trademark sugar-frosted fluff provides them much-needed camouflage, as they prefer to sleep out in the open. Hoary bats can be found hanging from tree trunks and branches, amongst Spanish moss, and inside squirrel nests, rather than inside caves.
When it gets chilly, Hoary bats wrap their furry tails around their bodies like a big, fuzzy, frosted sleeping bag. This allows them to be as widespread as they are, adapting to & surviving in many different temperatures and conditions.
Hoary bats are the most widespread bat in the Americas. But because of their solitary, migratory lifestyle and tendency to roost in trees, it is difficult to determine just how many individuals there are. And sadly these bats are facing an increasing number of threats.
Approx. 76,000-152,000 Hoary bats are killed each year by wind turbines. High rise buildings, communications towers, and barbed wire fences also pose significant risks to migrating and foraging Hoary bats. Conservation efforts are hampered by failure to determine population size.
The Hawaiian subspecies has been considered endangered since 1970, and while the Hoary bat is officially listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN, researchers are worried that their numbers are declining due to increased collisions, deforestation, habitat loss, & invasive predators.
So, recap. 1) Tenacious AF, 2) can fly hella long, 3) built in sleeping bag, 4) bunch'a nips, 5) social distancing expert, 6) Hawai'i's only bat, 7) needs attention for future conservation!
Also, they hiss when they're disturbed during the day, which is #relatable.
Let's get the #skylion to victory this year. #teamhoarybat #teamskylion #batwc2021 @Volcanoes_NPS @GovHawaii @gohawaii @HawaiiNewsNow
Excellent blep. 10/10.
A hungry Hoary bat from @WildThingsNY She’s demolishing those mealworms like she’ll demolish the competition.
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