Specialists fear worst for Island's bat populations

Title

Abstract

Fred Cheverie, coordinator of the Souris & Area Branch of the PEI Wildlife Federation, reports that he has had numerous calls from residents reporting strange behaviour of bats in the areas surrounding their homes. The bats are affected by a fungus known as White-nose Syndrome that is decimating bat populations throughout the East Coast. Allysia Park, bat researcher with the Atlantic division of the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre notes that there has been a significant increase in the numbers of dead bats found in the local area. The reports of dead Island bats this winter has caused scientists to reassess their belief that most PEI bats leave the Island during winters to hibernate in the caves and mines of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Park states that although there is no way currently to tell how many bats are on PEI, it is known from other Maritimes areas with the same species of bats that there has been a 95-99 per cent population decline in recent years. She expressed concern about what such a reduction may mean to PEI's specialized ecosystems. The bats provide an important ecological service to the agricultural industry due to their consumption of huge numbers of pest insects. PEI is home to two species of bats, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis). Scott McBurney, wildlife pathologist with the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College says that the disease is so damaging to bat populations that the Committee for the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada has recommended to the federal government that three bat species--those most affected by the disease--be listed as endangered species. [Photograph accompanies article]

Date

2014-06-11

Issue

5

Title	Specialists fear worst for Island's bat populations
Authors	L. Arbuckle
Abstract	Fred Cheverie, coordinator of the Souris & Area Branch of the PEI Wildlife Federation, reports that he has had numerous calls from residents reporting strange behaviour of bats in the areas surrounding their homes. The bats are affected by a fungus known as White-nose Syndrome that is decimating bat populations throughout the East Coast. Allysia Park, bat researcher with the Atlantic division of the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre notes that there has been a significant increase in the numbers of dead bats found in the local area. The reports of dead Island bats this winter has caused scientists to reassess their belief that most PEI bats leave the Island during winters to hibernate in the caves and mines of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Park states that although there is no way currently to tell how many bats are on PEI, it is known from other Maritimes areas with the same species of bats that there has been a 95-99 per cent population decline in recent years. She expressed concern about what such a reduction may mean to PEI's specialized ecosystems. The bats provide an important ecological service to the agricultural industry due to their consumption of huge numbers of pest insects. PEI is home to two species of bats, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis). Scott McBurney, wildlife pathologist with the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College says that the disease is so damaging to bat populations that the Committee for the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada has recommended to the federal government that three bat species--those most affected by the disease--be listed as endangered species. [Photograph accompanies article]
Journal	Island farmer
Date	2014-06-11
Volume	41
Issue	5
ISSN	0823-7735