Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: California
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The goal of this project is to quantify the current status of the Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii, COTO) in California. This task will provide the first state-wide assessment of the number and status of COTO colonies in California in more than two decades. It will provide a comprehensive report on the distribution, abundance, and condition of historic and currently occupied sites, a regional assessment of the species' status, and recommendations for maintaining or enhancing existing populations, as well as a discussion of likely future threats. Ancillary benefits of this study will be information on other bat species found in association with COTO, and additional public education on the status and value of bats through our contacts during surveys.