Little Brown Bat Management and Research

Management

The little brown bat is managed as an unclassified game species in Alaska, meaning that they cannot legally be harassed or killed, except under the terms of a wildlife nuisance permit issued by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

M. lucifugus has been reported roosting in several caves throughout the extensive karst system in Southeast Alaska, which may be an important resource for this. Careful documentation of bat use (including seasonality) should be included in any karst management scheme.

For several species of forest-dwelling bats, individuals and entire groups frequently switch roosts. As a consequence of such movements, conservation of roosting habitat in forests requires protection at the stand level as opposed to individual trees. Timber harvest plans for the Tongass National Forest should be managed to prevent significant elimination of potential roost sites and habitat fragmentation. An adequate supply of roosting sites, foraging habitat, and other critical habitat should be maintained.

Research

ADF&G has established a network of year-round acoustic monitoring station across Southeast Alaska to learn more about when bats emerge in spring, when they disappear in the fall, and to compare seasonal activity patterns across the region. In addition, ADF&G is trapping and radiotagging little brown bats to learn more about the timing of reproduction and migration, locations of maternity and day roosts, and where little brown bats go in winter.