Indiana DNR Launches Statewide Bat Roost Reporting Program

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is urging residents to report bat roosts on their property through a new online tool. The Summer Bat Roost Monitoring Project relies on volunteer observations to map where the state's 12 bat species live during summer, track population trends, and study how bats and people coexist.

Collected data will help biologists understand species distribution, guide future conservation actions, and may lead to follow‑up surveys with property owners. Bats provide valuable pest control, consuming thousands of insects each night, but several species have declined due to habitat loss and white‑nose syndrome. The DNR hopes citizen reports will improve knowledge and protect Indiana's bat populations.