Transcript:
Some people were frightened by the bats. But Laroy Brandt of Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee said the underrated animals have improved people's lives.
Brandt: “Bats eat a lot of insects.”
Therefore, they help control mosquitoes. On the farm, they help reduce pests, pollinate crops and spread seeds.
But many bat species are in trouble. A disease called white nose syndrome has killed a large number of diseases.
Brandt said that as the climate changes, warm winters may disturb their hibernation.
Brandt: “Will the bats become more active? Will they stay longer in the fall? …Will they come out early in the spring?”
If they do, can they find enough food?
To study how warming may affect bats in their region, Brandt used an acoustic recorder to detect the sound waves used by bats for echolocation.
Data reveal when various species start and forage.
The fourth year of the project or 10 years or more. However, Brandt has discovered that certain species are active when the temperature rises slightly above freezing point, which he did not expect.
This suggests that as winter warms and these thresholds become more frequent, some bats may appear earlier and more frequently, which may further emphasize these fragile animals.
Report Credit: Sarah Kennedy/Chavobart Digital Media
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