The BC Community Bat Program is asking all residents who come across a sick or dead bat to report it. A fungal disease, white-nose syndrome, has been confirmed in bats 100 km south of the U.S. border, and makes bats weak after they come out of hibernation.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/BC Community Bat Program
January 11, 2022 - 3:30 PM
Bat researchers are asking for the public’s assistance in reporting sick or dead bats in the Okanagan and Similkameen areas.
A fungal disease, white-nose syndrome, has killed millions of bats in eastern North America and is spreading to the west coast. The disease has been confirmed in bats 100 kilometres south of the U.S. border, according to a B.C. Community Bat Program media release said.
“The fungus attacks bats while they are hibernating and, much like mold on bread, spreads over a bat's wings and face. This gives the appearance of a white nose,” Ella Braden, an Okanagan coordinator with the bat program said in the release. “Bats often wake up from their hibernation to clean the fungus off their skin.”
When the bats are done hibernating, they search for water and insects to eat, however, the disease makes bats weak, and they often die as a result.
The detection of the disease in B.C. is a challenge because bats hibernate alone or in small groups throughout the province, the release said.
READ MORE: Deadly fungal disease affecting bats creeps into B.C.
“To monitor the spread of the disease, we need more eyes on the ground. Outdoor enthusiasts and homeowners with roosts on their property may be the first to find evidence of trouble,” Braden said. “We are encouraging the public to report dead bats or any sightings of winter bat activity to the B.C. Community Bat Program.”
From the research collected, biologists have found that healthy bats are somewhat active in the winter, and healthy bats have chosen their hibernating spots in woodpiles, or under house trim.
Sleeping bats should be left alone. However, the bat program encourages anyone who comes across a bat to keep their distance, take a photo, and report it to the program.
If anyone sees a dead bat, they can report it to the program online, email at Okanagan@bcbats.ca, or by calling 1-855-922-2287 ext. 13.
Visit the BC Community Bat Program website for proper ways to move a bat if it must be moved, and never touch a bat with your bare hands.
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