The Loss of Bat Resources and How We Can Help. Food Ohio bats are insectivorous Water Need fresh...
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Transcript of The Loss of Bat Resources and How We Can Help. Food Ohio bats are insectivorous Water Need fresh...
The Loss of Bat Resources and How We Can Help
Location, Location, Location!
What do bats need?Food
Ohio bats are insectivorousWater
Need fresh drinking waterWater also attracts insects
ShelterDiversity of habitatLoose tree bark and small tree cavitiesOld (or sometimes new!) barns, buildings, and
structuresAir
Just like us, bats need to breathe fresh air!
Why should humans want to help?Food
We spray pesticides on our cropsWater
We pollute our waterways with toxinsWe dam, reroute, or otherwise alter natural waterways
ShelterWe urbanize areas, cutting down forestsWe demolish old buildings that could already house
batsIf we find bats in our homes, we kill them immediatelyWe explore and vandalize caves where bats hibernate
AirIndustrialization has led to air pollution
If we build it, they will come!Bat boxes are inexpensive and easy to makeDesigns include:
Traditional wooden houseLarge “condos” on stiltsTowers
So what can we do?
Bat condo at Oak Openings Preserve
Single chamber bat
boxes
Sugarloaf Key Bat Tower, Florida, 1929
“Location, Location, Location!”The #1 cause of bat box “failure” is poor
placementBats must be able to fulfill all of their needs
immediately around their roostThe availability of 5 main needs will determine
whether a box will be successful:Water and foodShelterWarmthProtectionClear flight path
Prime real estateWater and food
Box should be within ¼ mile of waterBox should not be near any heavy pesticide use areas
ShelterBox should be amidst diverse habitatBox should be near an existing roost if possible
WarmthBox should receive 6 - 10 hours of direct sunlight per dayBox should face SE to SW for maximum exposure
ProtectionBox should be mounted on pole, not on tree
Easier to find; protection from tree-climbing predatorsBox should be away from roads
Clear flight pathBox should be 20 ft. away from branches, wires, etc.
Land Managers = Real Estate Agents ?Land Management
teams have an important but difficult job
First, they must make sure that we conserve as much bat habitat as possible
Second, when we decide to build a bat box, they must make sure there is a good location
Let’s do it!
Sources Bat Conservation Trust, http://
www.bats.org.uk/pages/threats_to_bats.html Association of Zoos and Aquariums, https://
www.aza.org/uploadedFiles/Education/Resources_for_Educators/Thematic_Educational_Activities/Threats%20to%20Bats.pdf
Bat Conservation and Management, http://www.batmanagement.com/Batcentral/batboxes/choosingsite.html
Organization for Bat Conservation, http://www.batconservation.org/bat-houses/where-to-place
actionbioscience, http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/tchankoshvili.html
Ohio Division of Wildlife, http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/mammals/little-brown-bat
Field of Dreams (screenshot), Universal Pictures, 1989 Wikipedia, Sugar Loaf Key Bat Tower, http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_Key_Bat_Tower Habibat, http://www.habibat.co.uk/about-habibat/