Bats play a critical role in their ecosystems. From fruit bats, who help with pollination, to insectivorous bats, who help control insect populations and the spread of disease, our little winged friends of the night are important. Right now, though, bats are being killed off in hordes by a fungus, something scientists call “White Nose Syndrome.”
Millions of bats are dying across the Northeast, Midwest, and parts of the South. Seven bat species are currently affected by White Nose Syndrome, but the hardest hit is the northern long-eared bat.
Last week, in recognition of the danger posed to the bats, the federal government officially listed the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This is a step down from being endangered, but still allows for protection. Tony Sullins, an endangered species expert with the Fish and Wildlife Service, explains that the bat falls short from being in imminent danger of extinction, but says,
“But within the foreseeable future, we anticipate that the species will become endangered due to White Nose Syndrome, and that’s the very definition of threatened under the Endangered Species Act.”
This designation offers new regulations and protection measures, such as restricting some tree removal from forested areas, especially in the summer when newborn bats are nesting. By protecting these areas, the federal government will ensure that the bats are able to breed and boost the dwindling population, so as to avoid coming to the brink of extinction.
Who could be upset about such a wonderful thing? Well, it doesn’t exactly come as a surprise: the oil, gas, and farming industries. They think that by protecting the bats they will be limited in their own growth and economic potentials.
Mark O’Neill, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, says the new regulations could prevent farmers from putting wind turbines or natural gas wells on their property, and affect how they grow crops, such as the legal application of pesticides.
“We want to make sure that it’s very clear that any decision that has been made does not impact [pesticide use], because that obviously would be something of major concern to farmers here in Pennsylvania and across the nation.”
Yes, you read that right. He says the application of pesticides is far more important than the survival of an entire species. The irony of that statement, though, is that bats themselves control pest populations. In fact, a single bat can eat more than 1,000 mosquitoes in one hour. But thankfully for us, and much to the chagrin of big oil, gas, and farming, the bats are now protected, and hopefully their population will have a chance to bounce back.
