Northern long-eared bat

Northern long-eared bat is primarily a solitary species known for its crepuscular foraging habit, often feeding on small flying insects. Notably, it exhibits a unique behavior of hibernating in cold habitats during winter. Despite being solitary, this species shows cooperation, as multiple individuals often roost together in cavities or caves.

Northern long-eared bats are found through much of the eastern half of the United States and Canada from Manitoba and Newfoundland in the north to North Carolina and Alabama in the south. They're also found, but more rarely, in western parts of Canada, sometimes as far as the western borders of British Columbia and Yukon. They are found primarily in forested habitats, especially boreal forests, since they typically roost in hardwood trees during the summer.

The northern long-eared bat is predominantly threatened by white-nose syndrome, especially in the northeast portion of its geographic range where the population has decreased by 99%. Due to white-nose syndrome the Northern long-eared bat was considered threatened by the USFWS. This species has been recommended by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for listing under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act. An oversight field hearing was held before the United States House Committee on Natural Resources in September 2014. A final decision was published in the Federal Register, listing the species as Threatened effective 30 days from the date of the publication (starting May 4, 2015). The Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail tunnels in West Central Wisconsin are closed for the season by the beginning of November, using the doors that the railroad added to prevent storm damage. The debate on when to close the tunnel caused a conflict between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the organizers of the Rails to Trails Marathon. The northern long-eared bat hibernates in Tunnel Number three. The Rails to Trails Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier, moved their event date to earlier in October from November in 2017 to accommodate an earlier tunnel closing than the original November 15 date.