Rookie bats are roosting in unusual places across Greater Victoria, a pretty common sight for the end of summer across the province.
Residents might find a nocturnal friend sleeping the day away up a patio umbrella, or simply stuck to the side of a wall as young ones learn their way in the world, according to experts with the Community Bat Programs of BC.
“That’s pretty normal this time of year, the pups are learning to fly and they’re leaving their roosts,” provincial coordinator Paula Rodriguez de la Vega told the Victoria News. “That’s a healthy, normal behaviour. If they’re flying around during the day, that’s odd; if they’re on the ground, that’s odd.”
With the increased interaction, scuttlebutt across the region amped up the weekend of Aug. 23, with folks hearing more and more about bat bites. One person in Greater Victoria sought care after a bat bite, according to Island Health, whose communicable disease team is informed through physicians and community reports.
Any direct contact with a bat should be assessed by a physician.
“If you have had contact with a bat, or been bitten or scratched, immediately wash the wound well for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention from your health-care provider or local communicable disease unit. Immediate washing of the wound is the most effective intervention,” Island Health said in a written statement to the Victoria News.
Protected under the BC Wildlife Act, any bat found sleeping on a vertical surface should be left for as long as a week while it finds its way. If it’s in a position to cause trouble for children, pets or the animal itself, residents can call the Community Bat Programs of BC for advice on how to safely move it.
August and September are busy times in bat culture. Aside from young ones leaving home, they’re mating, migrating and feasting.
“Right now they’re foraging a lot and eating as many bugs as they can to fatten up,” de la Vega explained.
“Bats are really important because they eat a lot of insects. We only have insect-eating bats in B.C., and they play a really important role in pest control.”
Our smaller species eat mosquitoes, and the bigger ones target other agricultural pests such as beetles.
“It’s really important to let them hang out for a week or so and let them move on on their own instead of disturbing them,” de la Vega said.
Letting them be decreases the chance of human contact, which increases their chance of survival. Keeping those numbers up is important as experts anticipate the population will plummet once the deadly disease white-nose syndrome hits. The fungus that causes it, pseudogymnoascus destructans, is already here.
“White-nose syndrome has not arrived in B.C. yet, but we’re bracing for it,” de la Vega said. “So the more people can learn about bats and how to be safe around them and how to coexist around them, the better chance bats will have a chance at resilience.”
Learn more at bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/rabies. Find other resources and advice online at bcbats.ca.
