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Annika Peterson | Feature | October
Picture of a bumblebee bat, a threatened species.
Photo taken from Glenlivet Wildlife.
Bats and Halloween go hand in hand. Known for their iconic silhouettes, bats are a spooky season staple. However, these creatures are more than what meets the eye. From being the world’s only flying mammal, to being infamous disease carriers, bats are often characterized as creatures that should be feared.
When people think of bats, they are thought of as bothersome pests. However, one thing that people easily overlook is their impact on their environments. Through their various diets among multiple species, nature takes advantage of these flying creatures of the night.
“Bats play an essential role in pest control, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds,” the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) said.
“Across all agricultural production, consumption of insect pests by bats results in a savings of more than $3 billion per year,” the FWS said.
Because of this, farmers, whether they are aware of it or not, also reap some of the benefits from bats.
“Bats are the second most diverse mammal on Earth after rodents, making up 22% of all mammal species,” the Zoological Society of London said. Bats have many species, each having unique diets and characteristics to better suit their environment and their own needs.
With this great diversity comes a lot of different bat species with a lot of different shapes and sizes. Due to this, some bats can appear to be massive while others are so small, they even hold a record.
“With a body length of only about one inch and weighing less than 2 grams, the bumblebee bat is one of the smallest species of mammal,” the Bat Conservation International (BCI) organization said.
“Experts estimate that 52% of North American bat species are at risk of severe population declines in the next 15 years,” the U.S. Department of Interior said. Even species that don’t seem to be threatened at the moment could be at risk in the future. This only further establishes the need for conservation of bat populations.
One of the main causes for the growing rate of risk for bat species is the actions taken by humans. Everyday things that are taken for granted actively harm the bats.
“Migrating bats have collisions with the spinning blades of the turbines and are killed by the millions around the world,” the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) said. “Wind energy facilities impact more than 50% of North American bat species.”
The reckless placement of dangerous obstacles on bat migration paths is only one factor impacting their future population. Additionally, bats have been facing the loss of their habitats and the roosts that support them.
Photo of a giant golden-crowned flying fox, an endangered species.
Photo taken from Bat Worlds.
“When a roost is abandoned, especially maternal roosts, bats will disperse into smaller groups, scattering to less ideal roosts where they are more susceptible to factors that decrease their survival rates,” RIDEM said.
Although some might feel hopeless about the current situation for many bat species, everybody can still help. From making small adjustments, such as turning off the lights in a room, to taking an active role in the conservation of bats, such as building bat roosts, anything is helpful.
“Bats are one of the most important misunderstood animals,” the FWS said.
Annika Peterson, News Editor
Annika Peterson is the editor of the News section for The Courier. This is her second year of writing for The Courier, and her first year as an editor.
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