Resources
General Information
- Bats of the United States – Wikipedia
- North American Bat Ranges – USGS
- Animal Diversity Web – ADW
- Bat Conservation International – BCI
- NC State Parks – Mammals of North Carolina
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources – Bats
Educational Resources
Although NCBWG biologists would love to provide presentations to your group, our availability is limited, especially during October. You can fill out a Bat Program request form: https://forms.gle/4XohKBsKpot8ePnF7. Consider using the educational resources below.
- Bat Week 2020 presentation by NC bat experts discussing the importance of bats as pollinators and other bat facts. Suitable for ages 8 and above: https://livestream.com/naturalsciences/batchat
- Bat Week website: https://batweek.org/ – many fun and educational videos for kids under the Videos tab. Bat crafts and activities under the Educate tab.
- There are several videos, lesson plans, and other resources to choose from on the www.whitenosesyndrome.org website. Just look under the “Resources” tab. There are options for kids and adults.
- Bats aren’t scary short, animated videos: https://vimeo.com/batsarentscary/videos
- The Bats Live website: https://batslive.pwnet.org/index.php, has a ton to offer for kids (activities, lesson plans, videos, etc). The “Bat Basics” video is particularly good and is geared towards kids: https://batslive.pwnet.org/webcast/webcast_page_may17.php
- There are also videos and lesson plans for kids from the Bat Squad on the Bat Conservation International website: https://www.batcon.org/about-bats/games-and-activities/bat-squad/
- Documentary about White-Nose Syndrome and bats in North Carolina: “In Echo All About – The Fight for the Bats of North Carolina,” at: https://vimeo.com/nmullinsvideo/inechoallabout
How to Help Bats!
- For information about putting up a bat house, check out Bat Conservation International – https://www.batcon.org/about-bats/bat-gardens-houses/
- Tips for making bat boxes safer for bats – Wild Life (illinois.edu)
- Plant native plants
- Leave some leaves – don’t rake them all up this fall. Many critters rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. This includes eastern red bats, which hibernate in leaf litter. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars (future food for bats) overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.
- Limit herbicides and pesticide use. Pesticides work their way up through the food chain and can affect bats.
- Keep cats indoors as much as possible.
- Leave dead or dying trees if they are not a hazard.
- Support bat-friendly tequila! https://www.batfriendly.org/tequila-and-mezcal/
- Volunteer at a park or nature preserve to help get rid of invasive plants – invasive plants don’t support the insect diversity that bats need.
- Volunteer! Contact Olivia.Munzer@ncwildlife.org
Unwanted Bats?
Click here for more information on unwanted bats in your home or contact the NC Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401.
Sick or Injured Bats
Never directly handle a sick or injured bat. Although bats can be sick or disoriented for other reasons than rabies, we recommend taking precautions. We recommend contacting a licensed wildlife rehabilitator that specializes in rabies vector species, such as bats. You can also call the NC Wildlife Helpline (866-318-2401) for guidance on what to do with the sick or injured bat.
Bat Activities During COVID-19
Currently, activities requiring direct contact with bats should follow Covid-19 protocols. See the following protocols:
2021 NCWRC Protocols for Bat Handling Surveys During COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 NCWRC Protocols for Bat Rehabilitation During COVID-19 Pandemic
For more information, please contact Katherine Etchison, NCWRC Mammalogist, at 828-545-8328 or katherine.etchison@ncwildlife.org.
Bat Conservation International’s FAQ on Bats, Coronoviruses, and Zoonotic Diseases
Video on bat immune systems and zoonotic diseases: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2jDPgvbTY
