New Mexico logs more fringed myotis records than any other state, 83 of the roughly 209 recorded nationwide, more than any of the eight other states in its range. The species is named for a fringe of stiff hairs along its tail membrane, and it roosts in caves and buildings while foraging over desert, grassland, and woodland, a mix reflected in records from White Sands National Park, Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the last a fitting match given how strongly this bat depends on cave roosts.
Monthly counts swing hard, from single digits in winter to well over 200 in August, tracking when the bat is flying and active rather than any change in how many actually live here. NatureServe rates it apparently secure in the state.
Full species profile
