About
Established in 1990, The Colorado Bat Society is driven by a single goal; to do our part in making the natural world a better place for bats and all life. Bats are one of the most dynamic, pervasive and important inhabitants of ecosystems worldwide. The Colorado Bat Society is a State of Colorado nonprofit organization that specializes in research and outreach education to foster an appreciation of bats and their habitats.
Donald R. Griffin
Discoverer of echolocation in bats, 1940
Bats in Colorado
Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)
Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)
There are 19 species of bats in Colorado with most species occurring on the Western Slope of the state. Some species are depicted here with photographs from Dan Neubaum. For a complete list with species accounts, click on the Learn more button.
Help with Bats
Bat Exclusion from Buildings
Please be aware that there are many companies that offer bat exclusion services that do not follow proper and humane protocols for bat removal and/or charge outrageous prices to exclude bats from buildings. Please visit Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation website or the Bat Conservation International website to understand these protocols in order to accurately judge any information forwarded by exclusion companies. Bats should never be excluded from buildings during the reproductive season (May through August) as this will entomb baby bats away from their mothers, ending in certain death. Because bats do not hibernate in buildings in Colorado, bat proofing a structure can take place in late fall to early spring (October through February) when the bats are hibernating in underground caverns in the mountains. In addition, CBS strongly encourages placement of bat houses with any exclusion event to give the bats a home when they return in the spring.
Listed below are ethical companies to contact for bat removal. A do it yourself guide to bat-proofing a building as well as bat house plans and installation procedures can be found on the Bat Conservation International website listed below.