Cathy Ziglar: Bat Conservation in Des Moines County

Many people think of bats as mysterious, and maybe even a little scary, but bats provide important pollination, pest control, and seed dispersal benefits to agriculture and natural environments, and they are important players in food webs. In recent years bat populations have been in dramatic decline due to climate change, habitat loss, wind turbines, and a deadly fungal disease that affects mostly hibernating bats in North and Central America. It is estimated that nearly seven million bats have been lost in North America to White-nose Syndrome (WNS) since 2007. Of the 47 bat species living in the United States and Canada, nearly half of them hibernate through the winter. In the U.S. WNS has been confirmed in 37 states, including Iowa, and the disease has killed over 90% of northern long-eared, little brown, and tri-colored bat populations. All three of these species are found in Des Moines County. This presentation will highlight some of the bat conservation efforts taking place in Des Moines County.

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