Bats in Peril – As a mysterious fungus decimates bat populations in the eastern U.S., researchers race to find a cure.

Bats in the Northeastern U.S. are in serious need of help, while here in South Florida our bats are in the middle of their protected mating season (April 15 to August 15). This is the time of year when they are raising their young and no one is allowed to disturb them. However, distance is no excuse for apathy… We need to raise concerns about these bats, their peril and the devastating effect their loss will have.

Each feeding bat can devour 1,000’s of flying and crawling insects every night. This reduces our need for chemical pesticides. Without the bats many invasive insect species will have no natural form of biological control and their populations will grow to the point where they will become a HUGE problem for agriculture and sanitation.

The most alarming statistic in the article is that some caves with an estimated over 100,000 bats last year declined in population by 90% this year. The culprit; White Nose Syndrome. A fungus disease that gets into the bat’s nose and causes them harm.

Add to this the fact that bats only rear one young per year and that several species are already on the brink of extinction, and we have reason for concern. Scientists are frantically researching this disease to find a solution.

So far, the best hopes may be coming from Europe. European bats have lived with this disease for ions. They have adapted to living in smaller numbers to minimize the impact of a major infestation, but maybe they have also adapted microbiologically? Let’s hope the White Coats can help find an answer soon…

In the meantime we can help our local bats by helping the folks at the Florida Bat Conservancy. www.floridabats.org You can also help bat in the following ways:

• Do not disturb, handle or otherwise harm bats (especially between April 15 and August 15).

• If you find a dead or dying bat on the ground, do not handle it. Contact the Florida Bat Conservancy at 727-710-BATS for help.

• You can help the local bat population by building a bat house in your back yard or community common area. The bats will pay rent by eating a large quantity of insects near their home. For more info on bat houses, click on the following link. http://www.floridabats.org/BatHouses.htm

• You can reach out to legislators and ask them to allocate more funds to research the horrible disease affecting bats in other parts of the country. Advances in science move slowly and cost lots of money.

The editorial was inspired by an article in Humane Society’s All Animals May/June Magazine. I encourage everyone to read it. It can be found at: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/all_animals/ The author of this editorial is Rolando Calzadilla who is in charge of Sales and Operations at Bird and Bee Removal Company. At Bird and Bee Removal we provide humane and effective solutions when bats become a nuisance by building their home inside your home. You can count on our expertise to find a solution that works for you and the bats. We need them more than they need us…

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