With more than 1200 species, bats comprise approximately 20% of the world's mammal species. The U.S. is home to 47 different bat species. More than just velvet-winged cave-dwellers, bats live in a large variety of locations: dead trees, caves, bat houses, human buildings, rock crevices, and the underside of bridges.
More than two-thirds of all species eat insects, and as such, help control agricultural pests and those that can spread disease such as mosquitoes. Insect-eating bats substantially reduce the need for agricultural pesticides. A single Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), weighing on average less than 0.5 ounces, can eat up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in a single hour! Almost one-third of bat species feed on nectar, making them critical pollinators and seed dispersers. Finally, 1% eat fish, mice, frogs or other small vertebrates, and despite all the bad press they receive, there are only 3 species, all living in Latin America, that are vampires. But even they are valuable! The powerful blood-clot-dissolving enzyme in their saliva is used to treat human stroke victims. Despite all this, bats are still the target of much bad press and myths, with many species worldwide in decline and in danger of disappearing forever.
In the U.S. alone, 9 species are listed as Endangered and 2 species are listed as Threatened (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). The greatest single factor threatening bats are humans - our activities and perception. Habitat destruction and outright killing are far too common a problem that bats cannot overcome. I personally know of one cave in Eastern Kentucky that was frequently the destination of gatherings of male college students, and on one occasion whose aftermath I personally witnessed, a large colony of bats was burned alive. I found the sad remains on a survey trip to the cave the next day. Fortunately, it was NOT the breeding colony of an endangered species of bat found in a nearby cave, but in this day of declining bat populations, we cannot afford to loose any bats, particularly to such behavior.
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) is greatly increasing the threat to our bat species, and its continued and rapid spread is unhalted with recent first-time confirmation of white-nose syndrome in Des Moines and Van Buren Counties in Iowa. In Missouri, the following counties are now considered "suspect" for the disease: Clay, Ralls, Moniteau, Ozark, St. Francois, Callaway, Cooper, and Miller (WNS Map 2015-4-17).
In response to the dramatic declines to this highly important mammal, the USFS has created Project EduBat, "an engaging education program designed to prepare, inspire, excite, and motivate people of all ages to take part in conserving our bats" (Beneath the Forest Floor, Spring 2015edition, p. 6). Also found on this site, BatsLIVE! A Distance Learning Adventure was created by the USFS to reach educators and students grades 4-8 by using engaging technological media. Battle for Bats: Surviving White Nose Syndrome (13:33) is a short film explaining White Nose Syndrome, the major threat it poses to bats, and why we should care about bats. The websites from U.S. Forest Service and USGS on White Nose Syndrome are full of excellent and current information on this devastating disease and the destruction it is causing.
