The bat population has been in decline in Maine ever since 2011, when the onset of white nose syndrome caused by a harmful fungus began to kill off different bat species here. Bats are beneficial to the ecosystem, particularly because they eat insects and pests. During National Bat Week, we’ll learn about statewide efforts to monitor and foster the health of the bat population, and we’ll also talk with experts about what to do if bats are in your home—or if you are worried about exposure to rabies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZPIwrKdCDM
Guests
Mark King, organics management specialist, Maine Department of Environmental Protection; bat biologist; bat exclusion specialist
Shevenell Webb, furbearer and small mammal biologist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Dave Yates, wildlife research biologist, Biodiversity Research Institute
Resources
- Maine Bat Species
- All About Maine Bats
- Bat Week
- For Bats, Acadia’s Real Estate Market Is On The Rocks
- White Nose Syndrome Response Team
- White-Nose Syndrome Has Affected Up To 97% Of Maine’s Bat Population
- First-Ever Bat Gate In Maine Will Help Protect Bats From White Nose Syndrome
- What Secrets Are Hidden Inside The Call Of A Bat?
- Bat Conservation International: Bat Houses
- A New Deterrent System Could Help Save Bats From Wind Turbines