West Virginia is home to fourteen species of bats, from the common big brown bat to the very rare Rafinesque’s big-eared bat.

The bats are part of wild populations living on public lands, and are photographed by agency staff. The first round of voting began Thursday and pitted a Townsend's big-eared bat named “Sir ...

The bats’ names can play a larger role in the contest than their cuteness. Last year’s winner was a female Townsend’s big-eared bat from southern Oregon dubbed “William ShakespEAR”.

The Virginia big-eared bat in North Carolina is primarily found in two counties, with only an estimated 600-800 individuals in the state. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission approved ...

The bats are part of wild populations living on public lands, and are photographed by agency staff. The first round of voting began Thursday and pitted a Townsend’s big-eared bat named “Sir ...