"Aesthetic standards have become one of the primary determinants of which species are deemed worthy for conservation and this has to be looked at, " he said.

CNN: Beauty trumps beast in conservation efforts

"We, along with other people, had assumed that this was the primary mating event for this species and a lot of other related species, " he said.

BBC: Yorkshire bat colonies 'cohabit all year'

The states also will look for agreement on the best way to regulate ballast water dumped by oceangoing cargo ships, the primary vehicle by which aquatic invasive species have reached the Great Lakes.

WSJ: Great Lakes governors seek agreement on invasives