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Frédérick Lelièvre, MFFP

Even though bats are often associated with Halloween, they are not really that scary! In reality, these creatures of the night are actually extremely useful since they devour an impressive number of insects, some of which are harmful to farms and forests. They are important allies for the health of our ecosystems.

What’s frightening is their decline. Some bat species are at risk, weakened particularly by white-nose syndrome, a devastating disease. Our biologists are working to protect and develop a better understanding of bats.

White-nose syndrome

White-nose syndrome has been spreading among several species of bats in northeastern North America since 2006. The infection is caused by a fungus that is found in damp, cold places such as caves where some species hibernate.

Affected bats develop white spots on their muzzle and wings, which causes itching. They therefore wake up frequently and burn up their energy reserves. They become exhausted and can die before the end of winter.

Gatineau Park’s bat population

Gatineau Park is home to eight bat species, three of which are particularly affected by white-nose syndrome:

  • Tri-coloured bat
  • Northern myotis
  • Little brown bat

These three at-risk species are protected under Canada’s Species at Risk Act and Quebec’s Act respecting threatened or vulnerable species.

Protecting bats through studies

In order to protect bats in Gatineau Park and elsewhere, we have to know where they “hang out.”

Detecting roosts where bats live and hibernate

We still know very little about the places where bats gather and hibernate in Gatineau Park. In 2023, our biologists began a study near caves, caverns, and other potential sites to see if these places were home to bats in fall and winter.

Ultrasonic detectors and video cameras are used to identify species and assess the index of abundance. The identified sites can be better protected and used as study sites for future research.

This project, which received a grant from the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk (which protects critical habitats), is continuing throughout 2024–2025.

Acoustic inventory

Bat inventories are conducted in Gatineau Park by recording bat calls. This enables us to determine the main sites where different species in the park live and helps our partners assess population trends.

In 2017 and 2018, we recorded more than 5,000 bat calls in Gatineau Park. Of these, approximately 6% of the calls came from three resident bat species that spend the winter in the area and which are particularly affected by white-nose syndrome. Most of the recorded calls came from the large brown bat and the silver-haired bat. Several recordings at one site could come from the same bat. This inventory was made possible by funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

In 2023, Gatineau Park biologists conducted a new inventory. The data is still in the analysis stage.

Bat houses in urban environments

In urban environments, bats often lack proper habitats. To prevent bats from roosting in attics, some people set up bat houses. Bat houses are wooden boxes mounted on the exterior walls of buildings or on poles. There are different styles of bat houses.

Between 2017 and 2023, we studied bats’ interest in different types of bat houses set up in Gatineau Park. Temperature and humidity sensors recorded data all summer long and helped us figure out which design was best suited for bats. The preliminary results are available online. The data collected also helped the Canadian Wildlife Federation create bat house design and installation guidelines.

This project was carried out in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada, McGill University and Quebec’s Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs.

You too can help protect bats

If you know of a spot where bats roost, please do not hesitate to do the following:

To find out more about how to help bats, visit the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

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