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The bat factor: Mammals' deaths could cripple environment

By Denise Rosch, KSNV News 3LV, July 9, 2015

LAS VEGAS -- They're nocturnal and mysterious, sometimes feared and often misunderstood.

Here in Nevada there are 24 different species of bat, and some scientists say it's time to rescue their reputation before a disease wipes out the critters that are critical to our environment. "Bats are all over in Vegas. People don't realize bats are in their backyards," says biologist Christy Klinger.

Just after sun down, Christy Klinger with the Nevada Department of Wildlife is hard at work. During News 3's outing with the professional, she was busy preparing a catch and release survey of some of nature's most misunderstood night dwellers, the bats that emerge from the shadows of Potosi Mountain.

An acoustic bat detector helps to pick up on their high frequency chatter. "They're echo-locating, able to turn on a dime because they're honing in on an insect. It gives them an erratic flight pattern that kind of freaks people out," says Klinger.

The set-up was fairly easy. A few well-placed stakes support a net across the mountain pond. Then scientists spend the evening waiting to see what sticks.

On this outing, scientists check the health of the colony. The scientists note everything from wing condition, to the size of the ears to their thumbs. They hope to shine a positive light on the tiny mammals, responsible for everything from pest control to pollination.

Our night vision lens picked up plenty of action in the dark. "Mangos, bananas, cashews, almonds. All of those sorts of things get pollinated by certain species of bats. And we'd have a lot less tequila out there too because the agave plant gets pollinated by bats," says Klinger.

Despite popular belief, bats are not blind. And if they're paying attention, they can see the net set up by scientists. What scientists have instead is the element of surprise. Wildlife biologist Jason Williams explains it like this:

"If you get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, you don't turn on a light because you know where the furniture is. But if you're husband moved the furniture and didn't tell you, you'd walk into it. Because you're not paying attention," he says.

There is reason to worry about the fate of bats in North America. Since 2012 upwards of 6-million have died from White Nose Syndrome. It is a fungus that attaches to bats during hibernation. So far, the disease has only been found in the eastern and central parts of the country, but biologists here are watching, hoping it does not move west.

"It's an irritant so it causes the bat to arouse out of hibernation. Once they arouse they're metabolism increases and they burn up their fat reserves too fast. Before spring time, and they usually starve to death," says Klinger.

One reason to care? With fewer bats eating bugs, farmers will rely more heavily on expensive pesticides and that leads to higher prices at the grocery store.

Studies are going on to note temperature and humidity inside mines and caves. It's an attempt to understand the conditions the deadly fungus needs to thrive. Our infra-red video, shot inside a cave in central Nevada, is a bat migration stop-over site.

"That cave alone over the course of about 3 months we'll see anywhere from 1 to 3 million Mexican free tail bats funnel through it," says Klinger.

Back at Mt. Potosi, forty bats are netted in just one hour. Each are marked and set free. The creatures of the night left to hunt in peace once again.

Another fear many people have when it comes to bats is rabies, but Klinger says one recent estimate shows less than one-tenth of 1 percent of bats potentially carry the disease. Sure they can, any wild animal can. So if you see them out, especially during the day, leave them alone. Don't touch.