Bats are an important part of the ecosystem! As the main predator of night-flying insects in Ohio, bats keep insect populations in check. Unfortunately, some bat species have drastically declined over the last few years due to habitat loss, wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. In order to protect bats, it’s important to know where they are roosting and understand how their population sizes are changing.
The purpose of this project is to monitor bat boxes throughout Five Rivers MetroParks to determine the species of bat utilizing the box and the approximate size of the roosting populations. By tracking the difference in colony size across the season and across several years, we can start to understand where bats are living and how their populations are changing in our state.
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING AS A BAT MONITORING VOLUNTEER? We are looking for several small teams to adopt and monitor assigned bat boxes twice during the summer. Volunteers will watch, count, and identify bats that exit the boxes. The first count will be conducted between the last week of May and the second week of June. The second count will be conducted between the first week and the last week of July, once pups are mature enough to fly.
Current Bat Box locations include:
Surveys will be conducted according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife bat roost monitoring protocol. The estimated survey time is 1.5 hours, starting at 8:30 pm and concluding at 9:45 pm, OR when it’s too dark to see. You must have a smartphone or a smart device that can download the necessary app.
DO YOU QUALIFY? This opportunity is reserved for long-term volunteers who have completed their onboarding qualifications and have received an eligible background check. Learn more about our volunteer orientation and onboarding here. This opportunity can be great for families with youth ages 10 and up!
Interested and available to volunteer as a Bat Monitoring Volunteer? Come to our Bat Monitoring Training, led by our skilled and knowledgeable conservation staff, and learn how you can play an important role in aiding the population rise of this important species. RSVP is required.
Check out the Mammals of Ohio Field Guide from the Ohio Division of Wildlife to learn more about the bat species we have in Ohio.
