Conservation Groups Commence Endangered Species Act Process to Compel Habitat Protection for Rare Bat Species

Conservation groups sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) for the agency’s failure to designate critical habitat for the endangered Florida bonneted bat. FWS listed the rare bat as endangered in 2013, but failed to designate a critical habitat, prompting the Center for Biological Diversity, Tropical Audubon Society, and the Miami Blue Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association to sue the agency in 2018. FWS announced a public comment period on critical habitat designation in 2020, but has failed to finalize any designation for the bat which has been driven to near-extinction by pesticide use and land development.