As Halloween approaches, bat enthusiasts around Burnaby are celebrating and supporting bats by participating in International Bat Week.
Bat Week is all about appreciating these amazing animals and their benefits, from eating insects to pollinating the agave plant used to make tequila. Take a moment to learn about the many ways bats contribute to our lives, and what you can do locally for bats, at www.batweek.org or through the B.C. Community Bat Program at www.bcbats.ca.
There is also a bat display at Burnaby City Hall just up from the main entrance until the first week of November.
“Bats in B.C. help control agricultural and forest pests, as well as mosquitoes in our yards - but now bats need our help,” says Mandy Kellner, coordinator for the B.C. Community Bat Program. “The conservation of bats in B.C. has always been important, since over half the species in this province are considered at risk. With the continuing spread of White-nose Syndrome in Washington State, bat conservation is more important than ever.”
White-nose Syndrome is a disease caused by an introduced fungus, first detected in North America in a cave in New York in 2006. Since it was discovered, it has spread to 33 states and seven provinces in North America, decimating bat populations along the way.
“Luckily, WNS is not yet in B.C.,” said Kellner. “But we are preparing for its arrival by raising awareness about bats, working with landowners who have bats in buildings, enhancing bat habitat, and monitoring populations.”
Monitoring for WNS in BC will continue this winter, with Community Bat Programs requesting reports of dead bats or sightings of winter bat activity starting Nov. 1. You can report sightings at www.bcbats.ca, [email protected], or 1-855-922-2287 ext 11.
