In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Charles speak with Nate Marshall. They talk about bats, wind farms, and why you should care about the conservation of bats!
Episode suggestion: Win friends, not battles.
Call to action: Build a bat box.
What should we like about bats?
- They are around everywhere in multiple types of ecosystems
- They eat insects, fruits, fish, crustaceans, and blood
- The variation and diversity in bats is truly astonishing
- 1 in 5 mammals in the world is a species of bat
How many different species?
There are over 1400 species, the number still increasing due to discoveries
Are they nocturnal?
- Not all species are! Some are, others are day-dwelling
- Same with echolocation; not all of them do it
What do they eat?
- Mosquitos and other mosquito sized insects, which helps our ecosystem
- They also eat other pests, like moths
- Fruit; they help disperse seeds
- Nectar; they help pollinate
- Blood; only 3 species consume blood
- Fish
Bats and Wind Farms
- While wind farms are good for pollution, they are decimating migratory species, such as bats
- Some farms are trying ways to get bats to avoid the area, or to shut down during peak migration periods
- Various farms are working on new mitigation techniques that work better
What other threats do bats face?
- White nose syndrome, which is a fungal infection that wakes hibernating bats
- They are hunted in some places for meat
- General misinformation and fear
What can we do to help?
- Bat boxes. However, they aren’t a long term solution
- It is important to follow the research when building and placing a bat box
- Plant trees
- Less pesticides the better
- Grow a garden
- Keep water clean
- Artificial lighting can be detrimental to bats
- Find a local bat working group
- Bat walks
