Many people think of bigger animals like elk or moose when they think of Rocky Mountain National Park, but don’t forget about the little guys! RMNP is home to nine different species of bats. Five of those species reside above 11,000 feet elevation! Bats are very important to the ecosystems of the park, as they help with pest control and are also important to pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. 

The bats feed on insects such as mosquitos, which helps keep their populations down. Bats are also important pollinators for the fragile and protected plants in Rocky. The plants in RMNP provide a source of food for the pollinator bats, and they are a habitat for the insects that the bats eat. The wild plum, choke cherry, and Rocky Mountain maple are just some of the plants that play a role in supporting the bats. 

These crucial members of the Rocky family are in danger due to Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), which is the invasive fungus which causes white-nose syndrome (WNS). WNS is fatal to bats and primarily spreads bat to bat, but can also be spread from humans to bats. Pd has recently been detected in bats on the west side of the park. WNS is relatively new, first being detected in 2006. We can all help do our part to stop the spread by decontaminating gear after visiting bat habitats. If you see a bat that is dead or ill, it’s important that you do not touch it, but report it to park officials.