Jackson Group was contracted by Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. of Bloomington, Indiana, to conduct a bat survey within the Meadow Lake Wind Farm, located in White County, Indiana. The purpose of this study was to survey and inventory bat species, with special emphasis in determining the presence/probable absence of federally listed Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and threatened northern long-eared bat (M. septentrionalis).
All surveys were conducted by federally permitted biologists by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). On-site biologists coordinated with the USFWS Bloomington Field Office and with local landowners to ensure that all work was successfully completed. All proper guidelines were implemented, including, but not limited to, the 2015 Range-Wide Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines and National White-Nose Decontamination Protocol-Version 06.25.2012.
A total of fifty-five (55) bats were captured during the duration of this project, representing three (3) species: big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) (74%, n = 40), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) (25%, n = 14), and hoary bat (L. cinereus) (1%, n = 1). This project was completed on time and on budget.