The Community Bat Program of BC is reaching our for our help.
This could be a critical year for bats in BC as White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is present across the border in Washington. We suspect bats hibernate in and around Squamish and winter bat activity or mortalities may lead us to these sites. If WNS is detected in BC, it could drastically affect bat populations in Squamish. During late winter the fungus is known to cause early arousal of bats which means they leave their hibernaculum in search of food. It is very important to report and collect dead bats from now until May 31st so scientists can test for and track the fungus.
See the Community Bat Programs of BC website, for more information and instructions on what to do if you find a dead bat.
At left is a a hibernating Little Brown Bat showing visible signs of the fungus. (Alan Hicks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) The map below shows occurrences of WNS since 2006, when it was accidentally introduced from Eurasia by human activity. Note the 2 areas in Washington State where WNS has been reported, the first in King County in 2016.