Our Local Bats: LDWF’s bat monitoring program ensures this vital population stays healthy and happy in Louisiana

On a recent summer afternoon, I found myself on my hands and knees looking at what appeared to be a tiny, sneering Brazilian Free-tailed bat. It was all a part of my mission to learn more about Louisiana’s twelve species of bats, and about the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ bat monitoring program.
​These flying mammals are an integral part of our environment and provide critical ecosystem services. And they face many threats. One major threat facing bats in Louisiana is habitat alterations, including degradation, fragmentation, and destruction. When a bat’s habitat is altered or lost, the bat must move to a lower-quality habitat for roosting and foraging. An even more urgent threat for our region’s bats, however, is the deadly disease known as White-nose Syndrome.
​Read the full article by Harriett Pooler in Country Roads Magazine...
​This article features Katherine Gividen. Katherine is a member of the Louisiana Master Naturalists of Greater Baton Rouge.

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