Brief
Bureau of Land Management launches 2026 Bat Beauty Contest on Oct 24
The contest runs Oct 24‑31, with voting on social media and a winner announced Oct 31.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BOEM) annual Bat Beauty Contest returns on October 24, with photos of wild bats posted to its Facebook and Instagram accounts for public voting.
What happened
Starting Saturday, Oct 24, BOEM will share images of competing bats that inhabit lands managed by the agency. Voters can choose their favorite bat online, and the winner will be announced on Saturday, Oct 31.
What the reports add
The contest features bats with whimsical names such as "Honey Bunches of MyOtis" (a long‑eared myotis) and "Robert Battinson" (a Myotis myotis). The 2024 winner was a hoary bat named Hoary Potter from Oregon. The event was skipped in 2025 because of a 43‑day federal government shutdown.
What was said
Popular Science notes that BOEM promises “plenty of batty puns” and frames the contest as a way to keep the spirit of Fat Bear Week alive during Bat Week (Oct 24‑31).
How it came about
Bat Week, which runs concurrently, aims to raise awareness of bats’ ecological roles as pollinators and insect predators. The contest leverages this outreach to highlight threats such as habitat loss, light pollution, and white‑nose syndrome.
Key facts
- The Bat Beauty Contest will begin on Oct 24, 2026. (popsci.com)
- Voting will take place on BOEM's Facebook and Instagram accounts. (popsci.com)
- The winner will be announced on Oct 31, 2026. (popsci.com)
- The contest was not held in 2025 due to a federal government shutdown. (popsci.com)
- Bats play key ecological roles, eating insects equal to their body weight each night. (popsci.com)
Sources
- [1] popsci.com — originally reported as “Bat Beauty Contest returns October 24”
