: Conduct Intensive Bat Population Surveys to Assess the Impacts of White Nose Syndrome in Parks of the National Capital Region

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Most WNS-impacted bat species, i.e., the threatened northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and the petitioned little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) have experienced precipitous declines in the NCR parks of the mid-Atlantic and central Appalachians. However, there is documentation of maternity colonies of northern long-eared bats at ROCR and Indiana bats at nearby Fort A.P. Hill. This, along with presence of juveniles indicative of reproductive success suggest that ROCR and PRWI still support residual and viable populations of northern long-eared bats. Moreover, there is some evidence of regional overwintering from the Fall Line east in the mid-Atlantic. Therefore, we will conduct continual intensive mist-netting at ROCR and PRWI to maximize opportunities to document and delineate maternity activity, as well as to begin investigations of possible overwinter use if fall and winter acoustics in 2016-2017 show evidence of presence in the area.

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