By River Stingray, The Aspen Times
The first known occurrence of an evening bat was recorded in northern Colorado this month, something that is “not concerning but definitely interesting” to Pitkin County, according to the county’s Epidemiologist and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Carlyn Porter.
The evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis) was documented by Northern Colorado Wildlife Center after it was admitted under the assumption that it was a more common species. It is only the fourth evening bat recorded in the state, according to a press release.
The identification was confirmed by collaboration with bat biologists from Colorado State University and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
“Evening bats are most commonly found in the southeastern and central United States,” the release states. “With only three prior records statewide, their presence in Colorado remains exceptionally rare. The documentation of this individual in northern Colorado raises important questions about species distribution, potential range expansion, and the environmental factors that may influence wildlife movement.”
“I can say with a good deal of certainty that I’ve never heard of an evening bat in Pitkin County,” Porter said. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t have them.”
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