Texas A&M Institute Puts Out ‘Bat Signal’ For Help From Landowners

January 13, 2017

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Disease has already caused catastrophic bat losses in the eastern U.S. and is projected to come to Texas within the next few years.

COLLEGE STATION (Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources) – The Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources’ Bat and Hibernacula Surveys team is conducting surveys statewide to determine the location of wintering bats and their roosts. They’re asking for help.

“We are trying to get baseline numbers in anticipation of white-nose syndrome, a deadly, cold-adapted, fungal disease that could affect hibernating bats throughout the state,” said Melissa Meierhofer, a research associate at the institute.

Meierhofer said the disease has already caused catastrophic bat losses in the eastern U.S. and is projected to come to Texas within the next few years. Maintaining healthy bat populations is critical, particularly for the agriculture industry, because certain bat species eat insects that can harm crops.

While the survey team is constantly traveling to different parts of the state, it cannot cover all locations, so they need landowners to help them identify overwintering and roosting locations.

The form is available at http://bit.ly/2i6bq31. Completed forms should be sent to Meierhofer by email at mbm030@tamu.edu or by mail to Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, 1500 Research Parkway, Suite A110, College Station, Texas, 77843-2260.

Team members are asking any landowners who have caves on their property to contact the team directly and let them know if they would be willing to allow the team to survey the caves.