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