ASHLAND, Ore. — A winged creature from Oregon was crowned this year's winner in an annual bat beauty contest put on by the Bureau of Land Management. On Halloween, which was the last day of International Bat Week, a hoary bat with a feisty personality named "Hoary Potter" defeated "Lestat," a western small-footed bat from Idaho, in the final round of the contest.
It also bested a Townsend's bigeared bat named "Sir Flaps-ALot" from Utah, among others. The victory Thursday marks the third year in a row that a bat from Oregon took first place in the contest. Last year, "William ShakespEAR," a female Townsend's bigeared bat from southern Oregon took the title.
In 2022, a canyon bat named "Barbara" also from southern Oregon was declared the winner. The federal agency has held the competition since 2019 to raise awareness about the animal's ecological importance. The bats are part of wild populations living on public lands, and are photographed by agency staff.
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BLM posted the photos on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, and asked people to vote for the cutest one. Hoary bats are known for swift flight and wrapping themselves in their own tails to mimic leaves and to hide from predators, the agency said. Because of this attribute, it estimated Hoary Potter would be "the perfect candidate for seeker on this year's Quidditch team," referring to the game in Harry Potter that is played on flying brooms.
Emma Busk, the BLM wildlife technician who photograph.