Animal Facts

At 3 1/2 to 4 inches in body length, the Virginia Big-Eared is considered a medium-sized bat, and is brownish with beige underparts. Their most distinct features are of course their ears; 25% as big as the rest of their bodies, along with the two glands on top of their muzzle, which can be mistaken for part of their nose. They live in isolated colonies in Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina, preferring limestone caves deep in hardwood forests. Females group together in early spring to gestate and have their single babies, which are born in May and grow quickly, reaching independence in only about two months - no one is quite sure where the adult males go during this period.

While like all insect-eaters Virginia Big-Eared Bats are at risk from pesticide contamination, the largest threat to these animals is accidental - humans' fondness for exploring caves. This disturbs the bats, especially during hibernation, causing them to lose stored fat reserves and die. If pregnant females are disturbed, they can lose their young. As the populations are already small and fragile, it will not take much to tip them over the edge into extinction...in North Carolina last year, for example, only five bats were sighted. They are currently listed as Endangered in the federal register, and were placed there in late 1979.