Give Bats a Break with Nate Marshall

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