A historic structure at Fort Leaton in Big Bend Ranch State Park continues to serve as a critical maternity roost for multiple bat species, according to a recent spring survey conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists and park staff.
The site is home to a colony representing four species: cave myotis, Yuma myotis, pallid bats and Mexican free-tailed bats. The fort provides a seasonal roosting location where female bats gather to give birth and raise their pups, with many returning to the same site each year.
Biologists conduct annual monitoring efforts each spring to assess the health and behavior of the bat population. The survey includes capturing bats to collect data on species distribution, migration timing and overall condition. The work also supports ongoing surveillance for white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has affected bat populations across North America.
During this year’s effort, teams worked into the night and captured a total of 48 bats for study before releasing them back into the wild.
Officials say the data collected helps inform conservation strategies and highlights the important ecological role bats play, including insect control and maintaining balance in the region’s ecosystem.
