By David F. Rooney
The Illecillewaet Greenbelt Society is planning to collaborate with biologist Mandy Kellner on a bat project over the next couple of years.
“From research done on Mount Revelstoke, in Glacier National Park and north of town we know that the Revelstoke area is home to at least eight species of bats — Little Brown Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, California Myotis, Western Long-eared Myotis, Big Brown Bats, Silver-hared Bats and Hoary Bats,” she told directors of the society on Thursday. “There is also a possibility that Townsend’s Big-eared Bats live in the area, too.”
At least two of these species are currently listed as endangered and there is a major threat on its way here from eastern North America — White Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that attacks hibernating bats and that has already killed millions of bats in the East.
Kellner is proposing a couple of ideas to help bats in our area and plans to discuss those proposals during the Illecillewaet Greenbelt Society’s Annual General Meeting at the Community Centre on Monday, December 8, starting at 7 pm.
Society members and all members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting to find out what Kellner is proposing.
