By Times Chronicle Staff
The BC Community Bat Programs are encouraging residents to celebrate Bat Appreciation Day on April 17 and learn some amazing things about bats and just how important they are to our ecosystems.
And here’s two interesting facts to start with – BC has the highest diversity of bats in Canada, with at least 15 different species and they are the only mammals capable of true flight, and “some can arguably fly better than birds,” according to Paula Rodriguez de la Vega, BC Community Bat Programs provincial coordinator.
Bats are starting to become active again, after their winter hibernation and Rodriguez de la Vega suggests to keep an eye out for them in the evenings after sunset. “Two BC bat species migrate and are now returning from down south, while the rest of the species are waking up after their long hibernation period, mostly in caves, mines, or deep in rock crevices.”
The bats of BC are key predators of many night-flying insects and are essential parts of BC’s ecosystems. According to Rodriguez de la Vega bats provide a substantial economic benefit by helping control agricultural, forest, and urban pests.
“Bats use their tiny sharp teeth to crush the hard exoskeletons of beetles, moths, and other insects. They don’t chew on wood like rodents do,” she adds.
She also highlights that bats are not rodents – they don’t build nests but instead hang upside down from their feet in a sheltered area called a roost.
“In summer, they like to roost in huge old trees, dead or dying trees, rock cliffs, rock outcrops, talus slopes. Some species roost in buildings like old barns or in attics,” says Rodriguez de la Vega. “Bat boxes are used mostly by only two species, the Little Brown Myotis and Yuma Myotis.”
A Little Brown Bat displaying the characteristic fungal appearance of a white nose. Photo courtesy Ryan von Linden/New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
Bats face many challenges and many species are listed as being at risk. One looming threat is white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed millions of bats in eastern North America. It does not affect people or pets and is caused by a fungus that attacks bats while they are hibernating, growing on their faces to give an appearance of a white nose.
“People can help us monitor for white-nose syndrome by reporting any dead bats found before May 31,” says Rodriguez de la Vega. Report them online at bcbats.ca or call 1-855-9BC-BATS.
All live bats should be left alone — keep your distance, snap a photo and report it to the BC Community Bat Programs.
To learn more about these unique and important creatures of the night visit the BC Community Bat Programs website at bcbats.ca or your local library.
“Visit your local library, some now carry BatPacks that have bat detectors, so you can listen for bats outside at dusk,” says Rodriguez de la Vega. Resources for parents and teachers can be downloaded at bcbats.ca .
In partnership with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the BC Community Bat Programs provide information and promote local stewardship and citizen science. The programs are supported by funding from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, BC Conservation Foundation, the Province of BC, and many regional partners.
You can find out more about the BC Community Bat Programs and options for helping local bat populations at www.bcbats.ca, [email protected], or 1-855-922-2287.
