Hawaiian Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus semotus

Characteristics

• only fully terrestrial native mammal in Hawai`i
• medium-sized with a foot-wide wingspan
• an endemic subspecies of the hoary bat, which is found in North, Central, and South America
• "hoary" describes the fur of the bat, which is brown and grey, tinged with white, so that the bat looks "frosty"

Habitat
Although most often seen on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Kaua`i, the Hawaiian hoary bat is also seen occasionally on O`ahu and Moloka`i, and appropriate habitat is probably found on all of the main islands.

During the day, when humans are nearby, Hawaiian bats roost solitarily and upside-down in trees, sometimes returning nightly to a favorite roosting site. Then, as native birds settle down for sleep, the bats rouse from their forest roosts, take flight, and begin their nocturnal hunts. They are unmistakable when they engage in acrobatic midair loops, twisting about after moths and other night-flying insects, their main food source.

Threats
The Hawaiian hoary bat has been recognized as endangered since 1970. However, its prognosis for recovery is considered high for several reasons:

• it is found on several islands
• there have been frequent individual sightings
• it can be found in both native and alien-dominated vegetation, indicating good tolerance of habitat changes.

We do not know what changes may have occurred to the distribution of the Hawaiian hoary bat as a result of direct or indirect human interference.  More studies need to be done to ensure that the populations do not decline any further.