K9 Conservationists

Give Bats a Break with Nate Marshall

Listen Later

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
              • ...more
              View all episodesView all episodes
              Download on the App Store
              K9 ConservationistsBy Kayla Fratt
              • 4.8
              • 4.8
              • 4.8
              • 4.8
              • 4.8

              4.8

              90 ratings

              More shows like K9 Conservationists

              View all
              Dear Hank & John by Complexly

              Dear Hank & John

              7,647 Listeners

              My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark by Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

              My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

              171,554 Listeners

              Cog-Dog Radio by Sarah Stremming, The Cognitive Canine

              Cog-Dog Radio

              313 Listeners

              Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast by Melissa Breau

              Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast

              229 Listeners

              Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

              Ologies with Alie Ward

              23,926 Listeners

              This Podcast Will Kill You by Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

              This Podcast Will Kill You

              16,841 Listeners

              The Canine Paradigm by Glenn Cooke & Pat Stuart

              The Canine Paradigm

              368 Listeners

              Endless Thread by WBUR

              Endless Thread

              2,660 Listeners

              K9s Talking Scents by Cameron Ford

              K9s Talking Scents

              111 Listeners

              The Functional Breeding Podcast by The Functional Dog Collaborative

              The Functional Breeding Podcast

              71 Listeners

              Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett by Susan Garrett

              Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

              652 Listeners

              The Bitey End of the Dog by Michael Shikashio CDBC

              The Bitey End of the Dog

              225 Listeners

              Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks by Wes Larson, Jeff Larson, Mike Smith | QCODE

              Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks

              5,592 Listeners

              K9 Detection Collaborative by Stacy Barnett, Robin Greubel, Crystal Wing

              K9 Detection Collaborative

              40 Listeners

              If Books Could Kill by Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

              If Books Could Kill

              8,918 Listeners