Williston Reservoir Bat Ecology Program

Bats are integral to healthy ecosystems, yet little is known about bat populations, their habitat requirements, and threats to bat species around Williston Reservoir, and within the Peace Region. Across North America, bats are experiencing precipitous population declines due to a devastating disease, White Nose Syndrome (WNS), resulting in two bat species in Northern B.C. being federally listed as endangered.

Because WNS strikes in the winter and kills bats while they hibernate, this project seeks to identify important bat habitat and establish baseline winter bat data, to help monitor populations and inform future plans for dealing with WNS using acoustic monitors, roost loggers deployed in caves, bat capture and telemetry. The study will help answer critical questions about bat ecology in Williston Reservoir.