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More bats turning up in Okanagan cities amid wildfires Bats fleeing the flames More bats are flying into Okanagan cities with some found dead amid recent regional wildfires. When the Bradley Creek broke out in late July, the BC Bat Program for the Okanagan started seeing an uptick in calls of bats found in open areas, roosting, or deceased. That trend continued when the Bald Range wildfire broke out in August. 'It is definitely higher this year, and we're attributing it mostly to the forest fires, just because of the smoke," said Paula Rodriguez de la Vega, BC Bat Program Okanagan region coordinator. "Bats that lived in areas where it was burned are obviously going to be fleeing the fire. Then, there's also potential smoke inhalation that might compromise the health of the bats." Bats have a high respiration rate, Rodriguez de la Vega said. Their fast metabolisms plus wildfire smoke makes the tiny creatures especially vulnerable to risk. Ash could also be affecting their hunting abilities. Since they use echolocation to find tiny insects, bats could be mistaking ash, similar in size, for food, Rodriguez de la Vega added. Insects tend to steer clear of smoke as well. The BC Bat Program has been fielding calls from Vernon, Cherryville, Lake Country, Kelowna, Penticton, and Oliver. BC SPCA South Okanagan/Similkameen has also had injured and grounded bats brought to the Penticton facility by concerned residents. Within the province, the bat population has been decline for several years. Fall migration Some of the recent bat activity is part of normal annual fall migration ahead of winter hibernation. "They're moving from their summer roosting sites to their wintering hibernation sites, and they do end up roosting on open walls, in porches, on people's entryways. They're usually just tucked in the corner, above the doorway, or something like that," Rodriguez de la Vega said. "Bats have a very challenging life cycle because they hibernate just like bears all winter, and they go without eating, so just like bears. "They have to fatten up in summer and fall, and that's what they're doing right now. They're devouring insects as much as they can, so that they can put on some fat and be able to make it all winter without eating." Additionally, the winged mammals reproduce in the fall as they're entering shared rocky natural spaces. The Okanagan bat expert said it's not uncommon for bats to be roosting near peoples homes at this time of year, in addition to the recent uptick in relocation due to wildfires. Rodriguez de la Vega said residents shouldn't be alarmed if the bats appear to be roosting. Wildfires and habitat When it comes to the impact of wildfires on bat populations, Rodriguez de la Vega said sometimes they can be good for bats, but it depends on what kind of fire. "For a certain period of time, it's actually beneficial to have low-intensity, frequent fires that go through forests," she said. "There are studies out there that look at the effect of fires on bat habitat; and habitat actually increases after a fire because there's dead trees, and bats like to roost in the bark of trees." According to a UBC study, the impacts can vary depending on species, habitat, as well as available insects and roosting sites. Additionally, more intense and prologued fires could produce different results. What to do if you see a bat The BC Bat Program urges people not to touch, harass, harm, or kill bats. The animals are a protected species under the provincial Wildlife Act. "They're not posing a danger. There's like there's no risk from having a bat sleeping on the wall, so leave it alone," Rodriguez de la Vega said. "The risk comes when people try to move them, because if if you touch a bat, they are wild animals, they will defend themselves and they could potentially bite you, and so that's a big no no." Less than .5 per cent of bats carry rabies, and the disease is only transferred through direct contact such as a bite, scratch, or handling them with bare hands. "You can't get it from a bat that's sleeping on the wall. You can't get it from a bat flying by you. You can't get it from a bat that was on your picnic table. It's only through yeah direct contact." When there has been direct contact with a bat, seek medical attention immediately and contact a local vet. Bats roosting on or around buildings can be left to coexist with humans. The BC SPCA added injured bats can be rehabilitated. Residents can call the BC SPACA Animal Helpline at 1-855-622-7722 for advice on safely containing bats. Alternatively, the BC Bat Program has best management practices to exclude the mammals, which are best started in September or October. The animal organizations urge people to be on the look out for bats with white-nose syndrome, a devastating fungal disease that kills hibernating bats. The disease can appear as a white powdery fungus around the muzzle, ears, wings, or tail. For more information on bats in B.C. and management, click here. For more on what to do if you find a live or dead bat, click here. More Penticton News