Protecting Bats

Protecting Bats. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. , Bats play a critical role in the health of ecosystems and human economies worldwide. Globally, bats provide pollination, seed dispersal, and control insect populations. The 10 subterranean bat species of the New River Gorge are insectivores. Many bats use abandoned coal mines for roosting and hibernation, though these places are dangerous to humans due to gases, flooded areas, and roof collapse. Park staff installed gates at historic mine openings throughout the park, including four at Kaymoor. These gates allow wildlife to use these old tunnels yet protect people from the dangers inside the mines., White-nose Endangers Bats , Bat populations in the eastern United States are diminishing at an alarming rate due to a disease called white-nose syndrome (WNS). This cold-loving fungus invades the head and wings of bats during hibernation, causing bats to wake up and burn precious fat reserves. Bats need these critical energy reserves to sustain them through winter. This disease often leads to bat starvation and death. WNS has killed over 5.7 million American bats since 2006., Science and Bats , The National Park Service (NPS) monitors bat populations in the gorge to protect bats and their habitats. The NPS and scientists across the country continue to search for a successful treatment for white-nose syndrome (WNS)., A park wildlife biologist examines a bat caught in a mist net during a research survey NPS, About Bats , The night is filled with creatures, including bats. These flying mammals are a vital part of any ecosystem they inhabit. Sats help control insect populations throughout the US, each bat consuming thousands of insects per night. Of the 10 types of bats found in New River Gorge, over half of these species are rare or endangered., Echolocation on the Fly , Bats use high-frequency sounds to communicate and navigate. Though bats can see, they can detect things as fine as human hair- even in total darkness-through the use of echolocation. Bats shout bursts of high-pitched sounds to gather information about objects and their location-be it insect food like a moth or details of the landscape. These waves of sound beyond the range of human hearing bounce off objects and echo back to the bat. Each high-frequency bat call lasts only a millisecond., Homeward Bound , The bat condo at Grandview can shelter over 10,000 bats. Since the discovery of WNS in the park, fewer than 50 bats are spotted emerging from this roost on summer evenings. NPS, Bats live in different places in the gorge, depending on the time of year. In summer, male bats live a solitary life sheltered in treetops. Female bats roost together to raise young in the cave-like atmosphere of abandoned mine portal openings. A bat condominium at Grandview offers an alternative for female bats as a maternity colony. Some bats migrate south in the cold winter months, while others move deeper into the old mines to hibernate for the season.