URI wildlife researcher Patrick Bailey answers questions about fall’s favorite winged mammal

Rhode Island’s new State Wildlife Action Plan lists all local bats as species of concern

By Kristen Curry 

Rhode Island’s new State Wildlife Action Plan lists all local bats as species of concern, including the hoary bat. (Photo / J.N. Stuart)

Patrick Bailey, a Ph.D. candidate in the Comparative Ecophysiology of Animals Lab at the University of Rhode Island, is drawn to the animals that populate our landscape each fall. He’s studied some of the quintessentially ‘scary’ Halloween animals, including wolves — though not the were- variety — as well as the bats of southern New England.

To be honest, the flying squirrel is my favorite local flying
mammal. This little guy got into our house right after
we moved in back in 2002 and I've seen them multiple
times. I managed to get him out safely. I also like bats.
- Editor Will Collette who also took the photo

Rhode Island’s newly approved State Wildlife Action Plan classifies local bat species such as the silver-haired bat — which favors oak and pine for habitat — of greatest concern. And while Bailey is not glad to see them on the list, he’s glad to see attention being paid to their vulnerability, having worked with bats earlier in his academic career. Bailey says working with bats helped him develop a wildlife skillset and gave him a deep appreciation for the misunderstood mammal.

“I’ve definitely had an appreciation for the ‘misfit’ mammals over the years,” he says. Today, he primarily works with gray wolves in coastal ecosystems.

Bailey fielded questions about New England bats, some of the challenges they face and how we can help them.

How is the local bat population faring in New England?

Bats in New England are facing a variety of threats, which have definitely impacted populations over the last few decades. As with most at-risk species, habitat loss continues to pose a huge problem for them. In Rhode Island, this occurs as a result of residential and commercial development that degrades forested habitats. Bats are also losing many of their maternal roost sites, which have historically included old barns, trees, snags (dead trees), etc. 

Over the past two decades, bats in New England, and across the country have faced an unprecedented ecological threat from White Nose Syndrome, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which has resulted in the deaths of millions of bats. In some sites, mortality estimates have ranged from 90 to 100%, which is astounding. 

The fungus was first detected in a cave in New York in 2006 and has since spread throughout the U.S. Rhode Island confirmed its first case of White Nose Syndrome in 2016 at some of the few locations that bats hibernate within the state. Cave-roosting bats appear to be more at risk from the fungus. These are rare in Rhode Island, so most cave roosters migrate out of the state during winter.

Among the bats you’ve worked with, which is your favorite?

Although each of the bat species found in New England are super interesting, I am partial to the hoary bat (Aeorestes cinereus). Hoary bats are one of the larger bat species in North America and they rock a pretty impressive brown/gray coat with frosted white tips. Interestingly, hoary bats possess an echolocation call that is just outside of the range of human hearing (human hearing ranges from 20-20,000 Hz; hoary calls are 20,000-30,000 Hz). Each bat species possesses a unique echolocation call that they use to efficiently hunt flying insects; we can record these signals and use them to determine which bat species are present in a given area.

What are some benefits that bats provide in our local ecosystem?

Bats are extremely important for ecosystems around the world, for things like pollination and seed dispersal. In Rhode Island, each of our eight species of native bats are insectivores, and can consume thousands of insects every night. Not only does this help to keep insect populations down — including mosquitos, which can spread disease to humans — but they also are particularly helpful for local farmers. Decreased insects result in higher crop yields and allows farmers to use less pesticides, which helps to further protect local ecosystems.

What should we be aware of for disease risk from bats?

Like any mammals, disease transmission between bats and humans is a possibility. There are several possible diseases that bats can transmit — the most notorious of which being rabies. Rabies is an extremely dangerous virus that attacks the central nervous system, resulting in almost certain death if left untreated. I cannot overstate the danger of rabies, nor the importance to seek treatment if potential exposure has occurred (contact the Rhode Island Department of Health rabies hotline at 401-222-2577, staffed 24/7). However, I want to alleviate some of the fears regarding rabies in bats. The last reported case of human rabies in Rhode Island occurred in 1940 and over the entirety of the U.S. for the last 50 years, there are less than ten reported human rabies cases per year. The reason why people are encouraged to receive rabies vaccinations if bats are found in their living spaces is primarily due to the shape and size of bat teeth. Most bat species in Rhode Island possess extremely tiny teeth and claws that can penetrate skin but leave little evidence behind, so rabies vaccines are prescribed out of prevention. As with other wild animals, you should never handle bats, particularly without any kind of protective equipment.

The new Rhode Island wildlife plan lists all of our local bats here as species of greatest conservation concern. What can people do to help?

Each of the eight species of bats found in Rhode Island are currently listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Concern due to the risks mentioned previously. In truth, one of the best ways to help bats is to leave them alone and let them do their bat magic in peace. The spread of White Nose Syndrome in the U.S. was likely unintentionally caused by cave explorers that unknowingly transported fungal spores from Europe or Asia. Therefore, although caves are not common in Rhode Island, avoiding them or known bat hibernacula during winter is vital to avoid spreading the virus further. Bats have unfortunately received a lot of negative attention over the years, so they have not received as much research attention as other charismatic mammals. Helping to dispel negative rumors of bats can hopefully allow us to paint them in a much better light.