Bat appreciation talk, as their numbers dwindle

LACKAWAXEN — Each year, with the return of warmer weather, bats return to the Upper Delaware River Valley. Unfortunately, we may not see as many as we used to due to the presence of White Nose Syndrome.

Discovered in New York during the winter of 2006-07, this disease has spread to 25 states and 5 Canadian provinces causing the death of millions of insect-eating bats. In the Northeastern U.S., bat populations have declined by approximately 80 percent. Considering one of our smallest bats, the little brown bat, can consume up to 600 insects in an hour their loss may pose risks to the ecosystem, agriculture, forests, and other wildlife.

Join the National Park Service from 8 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, at the Roebling Bridge in Lackawaxen for a compelling presentation about bats and bat populations in the Upper Delaware. Participants should meet in the parking lot on the Pennsylvania side of the Roebling Bridge where park biologist, Jessica Newbern, will present information about the bats that live here, the importance of bats and bat conservation, and how you can help protect them.

As the evening moves closer to sunset, participants will be able to see the echolocation calls of the bats flying overhead as they are recorded using acoustic monitoring equipment and learn how this scientific data contributes to our knowledge and understanding of local bat populations.

For more information about white-nose syndrome in the National Park Service, visit: http://nature.nps.gov/biology/wns/index.cfm

For more information, call Jessica Newbern between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 570-729-7842 or visit nps.gov/upde.