WANTED: Reports of Dead Bats and Winter Bat Sightings
Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 8:53AM Public help is essential for monitoring for bat disease
BC bats are threatened by disease, and researchers continue to ask the public for help. White-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease responsible for the death of millions of bats in eastern North America, is spreading on the west coast.
Signs of the disease include unusual bat activity in winter and the appearance of dead bats outdoors as they succumb to the effects of WNS. Bat carcasses will be submitted for testing for white-nose syndrome and would provide the earliest indication of the presence of the disease in BC. Reports of winter bat activity will help focus research, monitoring, and protection efforts.
We are encouraging Thetis Islanders to report dead bats or any sightings of winter bat activity to your BC Community Bat Program Coordinator, Rob Welsh at 250-246-1547 or email rmwelsh@telus.net