As part of the annual Halloween International Bat Week observation, outdoor enthusiasts are asked to refrain from visiting caves and mines during the fall and winter months.
Bat Week is held October 24 through 31 to raise awareness about the critical role of bats in the environment.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said bats spend the winter hibernating in underground cavities where relatively constant, warm temperatures protect them from harsh outside winter temperatures above ground. He said human visitation in the winter to these “hibernacula” disturbs the bats, and is especially harmful since the arrival of white-nose syndrome, a fungus that has killed more than 90 percent of bats at hibernation sites in the state.
Seggos said if bats are disturbed during hibernation, they raise their body temperature, depleting crucial fat reserves. This stored fat is the only source of energy available to the bats until the weather warms in spring and insects become readily available. The more frequently bats are disturbed, the less likely they are to survive the long winter months underground without eating.
The DEC reminds the public to follow all posted notices restricting access to caves and mines. If explorers do venture out and discover bats hibernating in a cave, the DEC urges them to leave quickly and quietly to minimize disturbance.
Anyone entering a northern long-eared bat hibernation site from October 1 through April 30, the typical hibernation period for bats, may be subject to prosecution. Details about the protection of the northern long-eared bat can be found on DEC’s website.
For more information about bat week, visit https://batweek.org/
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