As Halloween approaches, many wildlife organizations are recognizing Bat Week.
Bat Week, which runs from Oct. 24-31 each year, aims to spread awareness about the species and its importance in our ecosystems.
The worldwide events include documentary screenings and discussions with bat experts.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, there are likely more than ten bat species in Indiana, including the tri-colored bat and hoary bat.
Brad Westrich, mammologist at the DNR, says bats are often misunderstood because of how little we see them. Halloween and mythology also make bats seem scarier than they are.
“People think of them as these spooky species, and they’re really not that at all,” Westrich said. “They’re very adorable animals who really don’t want anything to do with people.”
Bats help farming and agriculture through their feeding patterns, eating insects that are harmful to crops. As bat populations decline in the region, the DNR says the economic impact is estimated close to $4 billion dollars without this animal preventing pests.
Habitat loss and a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome are leading causes for endangered bat species, with some species losing 90 percent of their population from the fungus alone. Westrich hopes that advocating for bats and the benefits they bring will raise the numbers.
“If you have the ability to just get out and enjoy bats in the evening, point them out to people, so that way more people are aware of these bats that we have on the landscape,” he said.
More information is available at the official Bat Week website.
