Sudbury environmental group undertakes acoustic bat monitoring to help protect the various species

A conservation group in Sudbury, Ont., has determined that all eight of Ontario's bat species are present in the region.

The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee participated in the Toronto Zoo's Backyard Bat Acoustic Monitoring program over the summer to track the different bat species along the creek, which runs through the city and outlying areas.

To identify the different species, the Toronto Zoo supplied volunteers with acoustic bat monitors, which they placed at different locations along the creek.

"It's similar to a trail camera, except it doesn't have any camera attached to it. Instead, it has a microphone," said Junction Creek Stewardship Committee executive director Miranda Virtanen, describing the devices.

The microphones can pick up on the frequencies bats use for echo-location, which are inaudible to humans.

Each bat species has a slightly different frequency.

"The experts at the Toronto Zoo are able to analyze the data and identify exactly what species," Virtanen said.

Virtanen says seven of the eight species are considered at risk, and four of them are endangered.

Identifying bat species in the region is the first step to helping protect those species, she says.

While a fear of bats is common, Virtanen says they play an important role in northern Ontario ecosystems.

"They're feeding on mosquitoes and bugs. So they're a natural pest control," she said.

Bats can also carry the rabies virus, which Virtanen says is a more legitimate concern.

A child from Brantford, Ont., died of a rabies infection after being bitten by a bat in northern Ontario's Temiskaming region. It was the first domestically acquired case of human rabies in the province since 1967.

Virtanen says people should not pick up or touch bats in the wild, and if they come into contact with a bat they should seek out the rabies shot as soon as possible.

On Oct. 25 the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee is hosting a fundraising event, which will include an acoustic bat monitoring demonstration and a paint social, where people are encouraged to make bat-inspired artwork.

Proceeds will support the committee's future conservation efforts.