A rare bat species, rarely seen in Colorado, was discovered in a Wellington yard, marking the first known sighting in northern Colorado. Wildlife experts are intrigued by this unexpected find.
The evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis) was initially mistaken for a common species but was later identified as a rare visitor to the state. According to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, this species is typically found in the southeastern United States, making its appearance in Colorado a unique occurrence.
When the call came in about a bat on the ground, Executive Director Michela Dunbar and her team sprang into action. They safely contained the bat and transported it to the Northern Colorado Wildlife Center for further observation.
The bat, weighing only 7 grams (about the weight of seven pennies), is small and lightweight. Despite not being injured, she was dehydrated and slightly underweight upon discovery.
The wildlife center is now collaborating with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and other agencies to investigate how the bat ended up in northern Colorado. Two potential explanations are being considered: weather displacement or the presence of a roost in the region.
Dunbar suggests that the bat may have been blown off course by weather conditions. Alternatively, there could be a population of evening bats in northern Colorado, taking advantage of warmer temperatures to leave their roosts and forage on the ground.
The bat is currently being kept warm at the wildlife center and will be released back into the wild in the spring. The center aims to release her rather than provide long-term care, as this is the first known sighting of an evening bat in northern Colorado.
9NEWS asked about the differences between evening bats and other species. Dunbar explained that while Colorado bats are crevice-dwelling, evening bats are tree-dwelling. Both are small, insectivorous, and nocturnal, but evening bats are more adapted to warmer climates.
