North Island bats need people’s help
Published 5:30 am Tuesday, January 27, 2026
The North Island Community Bat Program needs people’s help.
Which means bats in the North Island need people’s help.
The program is asking people to help by reporting dead bats and winter daytime bat activity, both of which are indicative of white-nose syndrome, a fatal fungal disease that has killed millions of the tiny creatures around the world.
“When teaching people about bats, I enjoy dispelling the myths that bats are scary, even if they inspired the myth of vampires,” says Heather Thomson, coordinator for the North Island Community Bat Program. “However, what’s truly spooky right now is that our bat populations might face severe declines in the near future due to white-nose syndrome.”
All B.C.’s bats eat insects – there are no blood or fruit-eating bats in Canada. B.C. bats are essential to the ecosystems and provide substantial economic benefits by helping control agricultural, forest, and urban insect pests including mosquitoes.
“We are working in collaboration with researchers and the Province of BC, to detect and prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome,” says Thomson.
White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats in North America since its detection in New York in 2006 and continues to spread westward.
“The disease has been found in bats just across the border in Washington and Alberta, and the fungus was found in a guano sample in the B.C. Boundary region. However, we have yet to see bats with evidence of the disease, which often appears several years after the fungus moves in,” says Thomson.
The fungus responsible for the disease spreads primarily through bat-to-bat contact during hibernation in cool, humid environments. White-nose syndrome does not cause illness in humans or pets, but it can be spread between suitable sites by contaminated clothing, gear, and equipment, particularly after recreating in or near caves. Avoid entering caves in winter and follow white-nose syndrome decontamination protocols if you must enter one.
Bats suffering from disease can have the fungus growing on their muzzle, ears, and wings causing the bats to wake up more frequently during hibernation.
“The excessive energy expenditure and dehydration can lead to bats taking flight during daylight in winter in search of food and water,” says Thomson. “Unfortunately, many bats starve and die … Seven of our 15 B.C. species could be severely affected by the disease.”
The Little Brown Myotis and the Northern Myotis are both listed as Endangered in Canada primarily due to white-nose syndrome. Researchers are working on several promising options to reduce the severity and it may be possible to mitigate the effects of this wildlife health crisis.
Residents are urged to keep an eye out for any daytime bat activity in winter and report any sick or dead bats up until May 31. However, all live bats should be left alone. Citizen scientists are urged to keep their distance, snap a photo and report it to the North Island Community Bat Program.
“Dead bats are usually found on the ground but sometimes bats can pass away hanging upside down,” says Thomson. Never touch a bat with bare hands. Contact the North Island Community Bat Program for further directions on how to collect dead bats. Report bats at www.bcbats.ca, 1-855-9BC-BATS ext. (25), or northisland@bcbats.ca (or info@bcbats.ca).