Bats (various species)
There are several bat species that occur in the Reserve. Bats are extremely beneficial to the ecosystem for the large quantities of bugs that they consume. They can often been seen at dusk or dawn capturing bugs in mid-air, especially in areas near water. During the day time they usually roost in caves, cracks, crevices, or old mines. Some hibernate and stay in the Reserve year around, others migrate south for the winter. There are no vampire bats in our area, but occasionally bats do carry diseases such as rabies and they should never be handled. This is a picture of our smallest, but also one of our most common bats, the Western pipistrelle (Parastrellus hesperus).
For additional information on bats in Utah, see this publication from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources:
