Lawmakers decline to name bat as official land mammal

The movement to make the Hawaiian hoary bat the official land mammal for the state of Hawaii has stalled.

A bill to recognize the endangered bat wasn’t scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee before yesterday’s deadline for non-budget legislation to clear committees in its originating chamber.

Sen. Sam Slom, a Republican representing Hawaii Kai, said he will renew the effort to honor the bat next year.

The Hawaiian hoary bat is the only land mammal whose subspecies is found exclusively in Hawaii.

The Hawaiian monk seal would remain the state mammal regardless of whether the Hawaiian hoary bat is eventually named the state land mammal.