Species MammalsLesser Long-nosed Bat

Lesser Long-nosed Bat

Leptonycteris yerbabuenae

RareMammal
Illustration of Lesser Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae)
Safety note: May carry rabies — do not approach or handle.

The Lesser Long-nosed Bat is federally delisted after a successful recovery effort—one of the few bat species removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is a critical pollinator and seed disperser for columnar cacti and agaves across the Sonoran Desert corridor. Females gather in enormous maternity caves of up to 100,000 individuals before undertaking northward migrations to follow the bloom sequence of desert plants.

Habitat
Sonoran Desert, tropical dry forest, and thorn scrub
Diet
Nectar, pollen, and fruit of agave and columnar cacti
How common
Rare

Best time to see a Lesser Long-nosed Bat

The best time to see a Lesser Long-nosed Bat is August–September, when about 75% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 199 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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