Annual Bat Beauty Contest Highlights Conservation Efforts

The Bureau of Land Management's online contest aims to raise awareness about bats' ecological roles and the threats they face.

The Bat Beauty Contest, now in its fifth year, is part of Bat Week, running from October 24 to 31.
The competition features bats from public lands photographed by Bureau of Land Management staff, with the public voting for their favorite on social media.
The contest is designed to dispel myths about bats, such as their association with diseases like rabies, and to promote their ecological importance.
Bats play crucial roles in ecosystems, including pollination and pest control, which benefits agriculture and saves billions of dollars annually.
Participants are encouraged to support bat conservation by creating bat-friendly environments, such as installing bat houses and reducing light pollution.