Beauty queen of the night: Oregon bat wins beauty contest two years running

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced an Oregon bat won its ‘Bat Beauty Contest’ for the second year in a row.

William ShakespEAR, a Townsend’s big-eared bat from Butte Falls, took home the title on Halloween. Officials say during the final round, she beat out Gizmo, an Allen’s Big-Eared Bat.

“Townsend's big-eared bats form maternity colonies in the spring before they have their pups. Unlike other bats in Oregon, Townsend's big-eared bats have very specialized habitat requirements,"said Emma Busk, a BLM wildlife biologist. "They need open space where they can roost in caves. Not disturbing bats when they’re hibernating is really important and will help keep Townsend's big-eared bats healthy and thriving."

Last year, Barbara, a canyon bat from Lake County, was crowned the winner.