Kootenay Community Bat Project Begins Seasonal Counts
It's that time of the year again: Bats are waking up and the Kootenay Community Bat Project is starting their seasonal counting activities.
Coordinator Elodie Kuhnert explains that bat counts review population numbers before and after they have their pups every summer; a pre-pup count in June and post-pup count starting in July:
“Each summer by counting colonies we know if they’re doing well and it allows us to know if they’re being impacted by White Nose Syndrome or not. The White Nose Syndrome is a fungus that kills bats and for the moment we haven’t detected it in BC, but it might arrive soon.”
“You have to have a roost and know where the bats are coming out from. Then you just sit in front of this root about a half an hour after sunset; that’s when the bats are going to emerge. Then with a clicker or some kind of a phone application you just click every time you see one coming out…. On the website there are some videos on how to do a bat count and how to fill out the forms if you want to do a bat count of your own.” she adds
The Program has three volunteer participation options this summer:
- Bat Reporter (One count over the summer between June 1st and 21st)
- Bat Tracker (Two counts between June 1st and 21st)
- Bat Enthusiast (Two counts between June 1st and 21st and two counts between July 11th and August 5th)
Kuhnert adds bat counting can be a fun family activity that takes 30 to 60 minutes around sunset at your nearest bat roosts.
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