By Trimmel Gomes, Florida News Connection
Beneath the glow of Miami’s streetlights and the towering skyline, a rare species of bat clings to survival.
The Florida bonneted bat, one of the most endangered bats in the United States, faces mounting threats from urbanization and habitat loss.
Mylea Bayless, chief of strategic partnerships for the group Bat Conservation International, said conservation organizations are racing against time to protect the species and its fragile habitat.
“The largest population and the most dense population is right around Zoo Miami, which is right in the city of Miami,” Bayless explained. “These bats really are endangered neighbors for many of the people that live in Miami, eating insects as they fly over the city at night.”
There have been glimmers of hope. Last year, Miami-Dade County reversed a plan to build a water park near Zoo Miami, preserving a critical foraging area for the bats. Beyond habitat loss, the species faces additional challenges, including pesticide use and pollution, which threaten the native insects the bats rely on for food.
Bayless recalled a recent rally near Zoo Miami where she said hundreds of people showed up on a rainy Saturday to show support for the bonneted bats. They voiced concern about the pine rocklands, an endangered habitat the bats rely on, along with 23 federally protected species living there as well.
“The community of Miami really came out in force to advocate for the protection of Florida bonneted bats and their habitats,” Bayless recounted. “We were really encouraged by all of the community support we received.”
Bayless emphasized the need for long-term collaborations to protect the pine rocklands habitats and urges the public to appreciate their surroundings, highlighting the rare chance to spot an endangered Florida bonneted bat.
Florida News Connection is a bureau of the Public News Service. Banner photo: A juvenile Florida bonneted bat (Enwebb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
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