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Sunday 6 May 2012

Bats in Canada are on the endangered list


Bats are on the endangered list














A report was released last month by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).  It is due to the Whitenose syndrome. Such a shame.



A disease that's already killed a million bats in eastern North America has been found in a colony hibernating near Mattawa.
White nose syndrome, which isn't considered dangerous to humans, was found on five sample bats taken from the Purdy Mine Site in Mattawan Township, says the North Bay District Office of Ministry of Natural Resources.

The disease is a fungus that grows and is white on their nose. It causes them to wake from hibernation early and they can be seen in the daytime, and starve since the insects are dormant.


Bat killer moves into Ontario (Tor Star)
Mysterious fungus decimated U.S. bat populations
A lethal fungus that decimated populations of the winged critters in the Northeastern U.S. was discovered in Ontario last month, and researchers fear it will have the same devastating effect here.
 25,000 Indiana bats dead
400,000 dead bats in the US
The fungus gives them the appearance of a white nose, and wakes them early from hibernation. Of course, the bats cannot find the moths, fireflies, mosquitoes upon which they depend. They become dehydrated, underweight, fly about in daytime, trying to drink the snow, in extremely cold temperatures. It is very sad to watch.

Bat, Tri-colored  |  Perimyotis subflavusDetails

Status: Endangered
Last Examination and Change: February 2012 (New)
Canadian Occurrence: ON, QC, NB, NS
Other names previously used by COSEWIC or synonyms:
Other names (common name): Eastern Pipistrelle
Myotis, Little Brown  |  Myotis lucifugusDetails

Status: Endangered
Last Examination and Change: February 2012 (New)
Canadian Occurrence: YT, NT, BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, PE, NS, NL
Other names previously used by COSEWIC or synonyms:
Other names (common name): Little Brown Bat
Myotis, Northern  |  Myotis septentrionalisDetails

Status: Endangered
Last Examination and Change: February 2012 (New)
Canadian Occurrence: YT, NT, BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, PE, NS, NL
Other names previously used by COSEWIC or synonyms:
Other names (common name): Nothern Long-eared Bat
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3 comments:

  1. Kay L. Davies6 May 2012 at 17:32

    I've actually never seen a bat close up in Canada, but I've seen Flying Foxes hanging from trees in Australia
    and they look like large bats.
    It's so dreadful to know that disease has reached Canada and is decimating the bat population. Anything that eats mosquitos is a friend of mine.
    Such a shame.
    K

    ReplyDelete
  2. Powell River Books6 May 2012 at 18:21

    Every May a small colony of small brown bats moves into our cabin roof and stays there until fall. I think they are females I don't mind when they are over the front room, but when they used to live in the wall at the head of our bed they drove me crazy. We also have one or two bats that come to stay in the roof of our propane shed. I think they are single males.

    You asked if we had muskrats. Not that I've ever seen, but I know they are on some of the more remote lakes in the area. Were you thinking maybe that's what dug up my garden and pots? - Margy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Red6 May 2012 at 21:27

    I'm hoping that thee will come a time when the bats are so far apart that the disease will die out before the last bat dies.

    ReplyDelete

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