# @thetorontozoo on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DFs8k8ou5zq
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/29017210-thetorontozoo-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/6220945af5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-02-05T19:07:37.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Toronto Zoo (@thetorontozoo) — https://gondola.cc/thetorontozoo

## Caption

As we continue to celebrate global efforts to #ReversetheRed ahead of February 7, the recent movement of three species your Toronto Zoo works with is a timely reminder of the importance of our work. 

Are you aware? Three North American species, the eastern red, hoary, and silver-haired bats, face threats throughout their ranges and were assessed as endangered in Canada and Ontario in 2023. On January 28, 2025, these three species were officially listed as endangered in Ontario 🦇

While it is always disappointing to see more species determined to be at risk, an appropriate assessment is the first step to changing the situation. By assessing the level of threat a species faces, and the reasons for it, we can target resources to bring about change. 

For these three bat species, we're pleased to share that your Toronto Zoo already has boots on the ground and research underway to bring about their recovery. We have been collecting data on these species, with multiple partners, as part of our bat monitoring efforts since 2015. We are using these data to investigate their distributions throughout the province.

Eastern red, hoary, and silver-haired bats are among the most colourful and wide-ranging of North American bats. Silver-haired bats are black, with frosted tips on their backs; hoary bats are yellow and silver, with a lions mane of fur around their heads; while eastern red bat is affectionally known by our bat research team as "the flying Timbit." 🦇

These bats are all migratory, avoiding the Canadian cold by travelling south to the USA and even Mexico to overwinter, before returning north to breed in the summer. The hoary bat is the largest species in Canada, and can travel over two thousand kilometres during migration, yet weighs around the same as an AA battery. #ScienceMatters #SavingSpecies

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## Tags

savingspecies, sciencematters, reversethered

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