Endangered Mexican long-nosed bat discovered in Arizona using citizen science

PHOENIX — The endangered Mexican long-nosed bat has been detected in Arizona through the utilization of citizen science from residents in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, Bat Conservation International and United States wildlife managers announced last week.

The Mexican long-nosed bat is an important pollinator in Mexico and the Southwest with an appetite for the nectar from agave. They travel long distances from central Mexico into the southwestern United States to follow blooming patterns of their food sources. The brown, furry bats are on the larger side for the region at 2.75-3.75 inches in length with a three-inch tongue for feeding on nectar.

The discovery in southern Arizona expands the migratory species’ previously known range from south-central Mexico to southwest Texas and New Mexico.

Using citizen science to discover bats in Arizona

Historically, biologists would need to catch flying mammals in order to identify them, but this discovery was made with the collaboration of the public and hummingbird feeders.

Residents collected eDNA (environmental DNA) by swabbing their feeders for traces of saliva. The samples were shipped to Northern Arizona University’s “Species from Feces” laboratory for identification.

“Knowing for sure is exciting,” Angie McIntire, Arizona Department of Game and Fish’s bat specialist, said in a press release. “It’s a species that we thought probably occurred in Arizona, but the scientific breakthroughs that enabled the confirmation of its presence are the real highlight of this story.

“By sampling the environment, eDNA gives us an additional tool for our toolkit, allowing researchers to confirm the presence of this rare species without actually having to catch one in the wild, which can be very difficult.”

Ranging from Mexico up to Texas and New Mexico, #Endangered Mexican long-nosed bats synchronize their northern migration with the June blooming cycle of agave plants on which they rely for food, energy, and sustenance to feed their newly-born pups.

📷Dr. Winifred Frick pic.twitter.com/fi7kwt0F7P

— Bat Conservation International (@BatConIntl) June 10, 2022

Scientists have also swapped agave plants across the bat’s U.S. range, another noninvasive practice of charting territory.

The Mexican long-nosed bat’s sister species, the lesser long-nosed bat, was already known to occupy Arizona and was removed from the federal Endangered Species List in 2018 after species recovery. Arizona also hosts the Mexican long-tongued bat, a different migratory bat that feeds on nectar.

Mexican long-nosed bats face many threats

Mexican long-nosed bats have been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1988. The FWS published a five-year review in 2024, which concluded habitat loss, food source loss due to human intervention and climate change as well as roost degradation and destruction continue to endanger the species’ survival.

Feeding grounds converted for cattle ranch, urban development and the diminishing of agave populations along migratory corridors impact the health of the bats. Roost destruction aimed at controlling vampire bat populations in Mexico likewise threaten Mexican long-nosed bats, which are not known to share caves with vampire bats, according to a federal recovery plan.

These disturbances may impact future migrations.

FWS listed five recovery objectives last year, including protection of known roosts; protection and restoration of habitat; environmental education; biological research and ecological research.

Discovering the species’ presence in Arizona opens new conservation possibilities, according to Bat Conservation International, although there is a lot left to learn, including whether they have a roost in the state or simply traveled long distances for food.

Using eDNA and citizen science can continue to help scientists understand the extent to which these creature occupy Arizona, including their range and trends.

“This discovery opens new avenues for research and conservation, and we are grateful for the support of our partners and the public,” Director of Bat Conservation International’s Agave Restoration program Dr. Kristen Lear said.

These animals typically spend September to March in Mexico for their mating season, after which males and females will separate. Many females will cross the border and raise their young in the U.S., according to FWS. They only give birth one each year.

Mexican long-nosed bats are known to roost in colonies located in higher elevation caves and abandoned mines in west Texas and southwestern New Mexico during the spring and summer. Their two known stateside roosts are federally protected.

Why are bats so important for the environment … and us?

Mexican long-nosed bats pollinate over 50 plant species in the southwestern United States, which is invaluable for an arid, desert environment.

Celebrating #nationaltequiladay? Thank a bat! They’re one of the main pollinators of the agave plants, from which tequila is made. But nectar-feeding bats rely on these and other plants, too. Lesser long-nosed and Mexican long-tongued bats depend on… pic.twitter.com/IYB30dh4zc

— Arizona Game & Fish (@azgfd) July 25, 2023

As bats around the world feed on nectar, pollen sticks onto their fur and travels with the animals to the next plant for cross-pollination. Cross-pollination improves the genetic diversity of plants that aids in their survivability.

Bats also disperse seeds and act as pest control for agriculture by feeding on insects. Certain species eat 50% or more of their body weight in insects every single night. According to the National Park Service, bats provide up to $3.7 billion’s worth of pest control annually.

Arizona is home to 28 species, while there are a whopping 145 types of bats in North America.

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