A special kind of beauty contest featuring bats kicked off in the lead-up to Halloween
In a unique twist on wildlife appreciation, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is hosting a bat beauty contest this Halloween season to raise awareness about the ecological importance of bats. The annual online event, running since 2019, invites people to vote on social media for the cutest bat photographed by BLM staff on public lands. Each bat showcased is part of a wild population, and the photos come from BLM employees who monitor these species.
This year’s competition kicked off with two contenders: Sir Flaps-A-Lot, a Townsend’s big-eared bat from Utah, with impressive 1.5-inch ears for sound funneling and temperature regulation, and Hoary Potter, a hoary bat from Oregon, known for using its tail as a cloak to resemble a leaf for camouflage. The contest runs alongside Bat Week, which features educational events to highlight the roles bats play in pest control and pollination, as well as the threats they face, such as habitat loss, disease, and light pollution.
Emma Busk, a BLM wildlife technician and photographer of Hoary Potter, champions bats and dispels misconceptions about them, noting that only a tiny percentage carry rabies, and transmission rates to humans are low. Busk hopes to see Hoary Potter bring home a third win for Oregon, following previous champions from the state, including “William ShakespEAR” and “Barbara.”
The beauty contest will unfold in rounds over the week, with the winner revealed on Halloween, aiming to both entertain and educate the public on the need for bat conservation.