Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for April–June 2026
First Indiana Bat Maternity Roost Found in 14 Years
by Katherine Etchison, Bat Biologist
N orth Carolina Wildlife Resources Commision biologists made an exciting find with help from U.S. Forest Service and Brown Envi- ronmental biologists through the capture of five Indiana bats on the Nantahala National Forest in Graham County. The most recent Indiana bat capture in this area occurred in 2012 despite continued mistnet sur- veys until present day. The endangered Indiana bat has suffered severe population declines due to White-nose Syndrome (WNS), which has made this species so rare that the last mistnet capture in the state occurred in 2015. These recent Indiana bat captures are the result of many hours of intensive scouting and acoustic surveys as NCWRC searches for WNS survivor colonies. Two of the five reproductive female Indiana bats were radio-tagged and tracked to their roost in a dead eastern hemlock tree in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Area. This tree represents a mater- nity site, from which 24 bats were counted exiting the roost at sunset. This is the first Indiana bat maternity roost found in 14 years in the state. Planning for future monitoring and efforts to learn more about this important bat colony are underway.
JULIA ELLIOTT
JOHNNY WILLS
KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC
An Indiana bat captured during a mistnet survey on the Nantahala National Forest.
KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC
Top: An Indiana bat receiving a radio-tag. Middle: Wild- life Diversity Technician, Joey Weber and Wildlife Diver- sity Biologist, Katherine Etchison, radio-track two Indi- ana bats. Bottom: An Indiana bat maternity roost tree in the Nantahala National Forest.
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