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Bats

Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization

The department has developed measures to help the public deal with the incidental take of bats that occurs as a result of specific public health concerns, bat removals from homes or offices, building demolitions, forestry activities, bridge demolitions, miscellaneous building repairs and wind energy development projects as described in the conservation plan (see below). The department has issued both a Broad Incidental Take Authorization for use by state agencies and a Broad Incidental Take Permit for use by non-state agencies and individuals. Both cover the incidental take of bats. An Incidental Take Permit/Authorization is typically issued on a project-by-project basis; however, a Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization (BITP/A) was created for this situation so that neither an application nor a permit fee is required.

Conservation Plan

The permit and authorization cover all four species of bat currently listed as threatened in Wisconsin (NR 27.07, Wis. Adm. Code): big brown bat, eastern pipistrelle, little brown bat and northern long-eared bat.

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Submitting incidental take reports

Take covered under this permit or authorization must be reported within five working days (when required per the Conservation Plan). Take not reported within five working days is not legally covered and is in violation of the Wisconsin Endangered Species Law (s. 29.604, Wis. Stats.). Reports can be submitted via email (DNR Bats) or mail (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation, Bat Reporting, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921).