Return of the bats!

Every spring we see a sudden return of the only flying mammal in the world. In North America, bats are one of our most precious and misunderstood natural resources. Not only do they feed on mosquitos and other insects, the natural ecology of cave life depends on them to provide the nutrients needed to sustain life. Here in Missouri, bats congregate in the spring to form nursery colonies, producing offspring (one to four bats, depending on the species) in May or June. The young are fed milk until they are able to forage for themselves.

Destruction of habitat, pesticides, and disturbance has contributed to the alarming decline of bats in recent years. In addition, human fear and misunderstanding of bats has contributed to their decline. Bats are in fact carriers of rabies, but transmission of the disease is very rare. Their shy nature leads them to avoid human contact. Should a bat become trapped in your house, close off the room and call your local Department of Conservation. Someone will be sent to remove the bat safely.

The truth is that we depend on bats in ways that are crucial, not only to the environment, but to the economy. Respecting their habitat and educating others on the importance of these amazing and fascinating animals is the first step toward maintaining and recovering a healthy bat population worldwide.

Here are photographs of some of the many species of bats in Missouri, courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation. For more information on bats or to find out about bats in your area, write to Bat Conservation International, P.o. Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716, call 512/327-97 or go to www.batcon.org

Eastern Pipistrelle

Gray Bat

Indiana Bat

Little Brown Bat

Big Brown Bat

The information in this post was provided by the MDC. For more info and some very interesting bat facts, visit: http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2000/03/40.htm