The BC Community Bat Program is seeking volunteers to help count bats in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
Coordinator for the region, Cathy Koot says this is the first year that the region has been involved in the annual count within the province.
“Ideally we’re asking volunteers who have the time and capacity to do so, if they could survey two times within that period from June 1st to 21st and then again two times in the period there after until the beginning of August.”
Koot says although they have knowledge that the region has a high diversity of bat species, the exact numbers of their populations are not known.
“That’s when the data becomes really valuable is when we can get some ongoing census of the same colonies and if we determine there are changes in the numbers over time at the same site that will help guide with some management decisions.”
Koot says the count will also give knowledge about populations before the devastating White Nose Syndrome spreads from the East to the West.
She says an infected bat was recently found near Seattle, Washington.