DNR and Georgia Bat Working Group Raise Awareness of Misunderstood Species

Because of their unusual habits and appearance, bats have generated superstitious fear and suffered misguided persecution throughout history in many cultures. Folktales
that bats are vampire-like creatures that emerge during the darkest nights and fly and entangle into one's hair, possessing them with evil spirits - are just that - folktales. Evidence of the evil nature attributed to bats is the fact that they, along with ghosts and witches, are popular Halloween icons.

To help dispel the myths and develop conservation strategies for these misunderstood animals, the Georgia Bat Working Group, which held its annual meeting recently at Gordon College in Barnesville, has been coordinating efforts with biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

"Many people also despise bats because they perceive these animals to be dangerous carriers of disease," said Jim Ozier, DNR senior wildlife biologist. "While bats can transmit rabies to people, such incidences are extremely rare. Most bat bites are a result of an obviously sick bat being handled."

Georgia is home to sixteen species of bats, all of which seek a sheltered roost during the day and emerge at night to eat flying insects such as moths, mosquitoes, and beetles. Some species, such as the gray bat and southeastern myotis depend upon specific suitable caves for roosting. Others, such as big brown bats and evening bats, use hollow trees and buildings. Red bats and Seminole bats conceal themselves in foliage.

Female bats typically give birth to one or two young in the spring. Often, several females form a nursery colony in a warm, sheltered spot where they bear and raise their pups together. Two to three weeks after birth, the young are ready to join the adults in flight. Most bats hibernate during the wintertime, but some will awaken and emerge to
forage on particularly warm winter evenings.

Especially during the past century, many bat populations have been dramatically impacted by widespread alterations to their roosting and foraging habitat, including loss of critical forested areas and caves. Some species have adapted to using buildings for shelter, but old buildings are often destroyed, and bats are usually not welcome when
they move into the walls or attics of people's homes. Additionally,water pollution has impacted many of the waterways that are valuable to bats because of the aquatic insects they produce, and widespread use of insecticides has further contaminated and reduced food supplies.

HANDLING BATS RESPONSIBLY

Many people are alarmed to discover that roosting bats have taken shelter in their homes. While the bats themselves are for the most part harmless, even beneficial to the homeowner, their droppings can build up over time and create unpleasant odors.

"In most situations, nuisance bat problems can be resolved with no harm to the bats and little expense to the homeowner if detected early," said Ozier.

Like most species of native wildlife, all bats are protected by state law; there are no legal remedies that involve killing or harming them. Instead, they should be excluded from the structure by sealing openings and using one-way doors that allow the bats to come out in the evening to feed, but do not allow them to re-enter. Exclusions should only be done during early spring and late summer/fall to avoid entrapping young that cannot yet fly. Homeowners should be particularly alert to the presence of bats early in the spring so they can be excluded prior to birth of the young. The free-tailed bat is a species whose numbers sometimes grow to many thousands at a single roost if not excluded
promptly. Once the bats are gone, it is essential that the building be repaired and maintained to prevent future occupancy. Guano accumulations should also be removed by a qualified technician, taking care not to breathe the dust, which sometimes contains fungal spores that can cause a lung infection known as histoplasmosis.

Ideally, an alternate roost structure should be installed nearby when evicting bats. Homeowners should seek technical advice from a qualified source before attempting to handle bat exclusions themselves.

"If a homeowner hires someone to do the job, they should make sure the person is qualified, permitted, and aware of proper exclusion techniques," says Ozier.

Like many other species of mammals, bats can contract rabies and an infected bat can spread the disease through biting. Bats that present a potential health risk by entering peoples' living spaces should be evicted immediately.

BAT PROTECTION

Today we know enough about bats to admire and respect them for their critical roles in nature, and to attempt to resolve some of the problems that impact their long-term survival. Six of Georgia's bat species are considered to be of special conservation concern because of threats to their populations. Three of these, the gray bat, Indiana bat, and Rafinesque's big-eared bat, are listed for special protection under the Georgia Endangered Wildlife Act, and the gray bat and Indiana bat receive even stronger protection on the federal Endangered Species List.

BAT MANAGEMENT

Several states are forming groups similar to Georgia's Bat Working Group to support the North American Bat Conservation Partnership. The Partnership and working groups seek to identify research, survey, monitoring, management and public education efforts that are needed to promote conservation of bat populations, and to facilitate enactment of
programs to meet these needs.

For more information on bats, please contact the Georgia DNR/WRD, Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program (478-994-1438) or visit www.georgiawildlife.com. Also, visit the following websites: Bat Conservation International (www.batcon.org), Basically Bats (www.basicallybats.org), and North American Bat Conservation Partnership
(www.batcon.org/nabcp/newsite/index.html).

Georgians can support nongame wildlife conservation, education and recreation programs by purchasing a wildlife license plate for their vehicle or by donating to the "Give Wildlife a Chance" State Income Tax Checkoff. Sales of the Bald Eagle/American flag and the Ruby-throated Hummingbird license plates are the primary source of funding for the WRD Nongame Wildlife and Natural Heritage Section.