The use of transportation structures as BAT roosts in the southeast has become increasingly documented in recent years

As a result the MS esfo developed and began implementation of the bats and bridges and culverts initiative in april 2021. Over 600 bridges and culverts in 32 counties throughout mississippi have been surveyed so far for BAT usage. During this survey effort a bridge was located in tishomingo county that contained gray bats myotis grisescens and indiana bats m. Sodalis. This is the first bridge roost and only the fourth and third record respectively for these species in the state. Prior to august 2023 a total of three occurrence records for the northern longeared BAT myotis septentrionalis had been documented in mississippi with the first record found in 1939. As part of the initiative 32 new northern longeared roosts have been located in 29 culverts and three bridges in six counties. Surveys of transportation structures has substantially added to our records and knowledge of federally listed BAT species in mississippi.as part of the initiative many new roosts for the proposed tricolored BAT perimyotis subflavus have also been located in culverts and bridges. The mississippi department of wildlife fisheries and parks monitors known culvert roosts every winter for the tricolored BAT however surveys during the remainder of the year are limited and therefore our knowledge regarding tricolored BAT roosting in nonwinter months is lacking.additional research is needed to locate new roosts for all four of these species. Research is also needed to ascertain more specific dates for PUP rearing activities in mississippi to ensure that the take of pups does not occur during bridge and culvert repair projects or projects involving tree clearing. The mississippi department of transportation submits over 50 bridge and culvert maintenance repair or replacement projects per year to the MS esfo for section 7 consultation. The proposed project will have direct benefits for informing those consultations and will provide data needed to create relevant mitigation and avoidance measures. In addition the discovery of new roost sites will have important implications for conservation efforts for these species.