Bats diet/threats

Diet/threat





Diet

There are many diets for many different bats here is a list of all the diets for each bat type

While this may be a few different types of diets most bats are insectivores. Now these are only some of bats food diets because while we know there are 1,400 species of bats to record all of there diets would take years to do because to find a bat and then find what it likes is a really long process.

Now every bat has information on it because we have recorded all of the bat types we have no idea if these bats really do have any other diets we have only recorded the most popular among the bats with a wide variety of food, including fruit, leaves, bark, nectar, pollen, winged insects, beetles, bugs and termites, spiders, small mammals (especially rodens), birds ,lizards, amphibians (especially frogs), scorpions, other bats and fish yes it is suprising but they do indeed eat each other but not all bats will some bats will eat each other.


What are there threats?

Here is some threats that bat's have and why they are a threat

These are all the threats to bats that we have recorded and reaserched


The biggest threat to bats world wide is the loss of natural habitats remains the most widespread peril for bats worldwide. Forest habitat, which many bats use for roosting and foraging, are disappearing at an alarming rate — the result of timber harvests, clearings to make room for farm crops, mining operations, cattle pastures, and cities.


What do the threats do?


White-nose syndrome

The white-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fatal disease in bats caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. The disease affects cave-dwelling bats. Researchers first discovered the disease in New York in the winter of 2006. Since then, it has spread to more than half of the United States, killing millions of bats--up to 99% of some bat colonies. The National Park Service works with many other state and federal agencies as well as conservation organizations to learn more about the fatal disease and how to slow its spread.


How can you help?

Several species of insect-eating bats face a serious threat to their survival: white-nose syndrome (WNS). Learn all about WNS and how it has killed millions of bats in North America since 2006. Everyone can take steps to help bats survive. Scientists have not yet found a cure for this disease, so it's important to slow the human spread of the fungus that causes WNS. Also, we need to give bats safe, undisturbed places to hibernate and raise their young. Making sure you don’t spread P. destructans into new areas is one of the most important things you can do to help bats. But there are other ways individuals can help protect and conserve bats:

  1. Stay out of closed caves. Park managers close caves to protect hibernating bats and maternity colonies.
  2. Report dead/injured bats to park personnel. To protect yourself and bats, never touch or pick up a bat. Although WNS does not cause illness in humans, a small percentage of bats can be infected with other dangerous diseases, such as rabies.
  3. Get involved. A number of organizations work to conserve bats. They offer opportunities, such as events and activities, to work on behalf of bats. Whitenosesyndrome.org has an extensive list of groups working together to fight WNS.

Wind energy

Wind energy is a fast-growing source of a clean, renewable energy. However, large wind facilities do still have an effect on the ecosystems they're in. A team of researchers led by Edward Arnett studied how wind turbines affect bats. Commercial wind energy development in the U.S. has had a damaging effect on 21 bat species. (That's nearly half of the more than 50 unique species that live in national parks!) All wind energy facilities that have data available have reported bat fatalities. Most of the species of bats that have been affected by wind turbines are migratory, tree-roosting species. These include the hoary bat, the Eastern red bat, and the silver-haired bat. In fact, these three species make up about 70-80% of the reported bat deaths.


Why do bats flyinto turbines?

Every year, migratory bats move from the winter to summer roosts in the spring and then back to the winter roosts in late summer and early fall. Different scientists have put forth several theories why bats collide with wind turbines:

  1. Bats may mistake wind turbines for large trees they can roost in.
  2. Bats mistake the shiny, reflective surface of turbines for sources of water.
  3. Bats don't use echolocation during some periods of migration as they are already familiar with the routes.
  4. Bats are simply curious about what the wind turbines are.

Reducing the risk

According to natural resource researcher Edward Arnett and Roel May, having the turbines start spinning at slightly higher wind speeds has been shown to reduce bat deaths by 50-60%.


Habitat loss

Bats live in a variety of places—trees, caves, old mines and usually near water. Different species of bats survive in different ecosystems, but a variety of factors are actually reducing the amount of natural places for bats to live.

Ecologists frequently use the term "habitat loss" when describing threats to many forms of wildlife—not just bats. Habitat loss means a particular species has less and less of the natural spaces and resources available that they've depended upon in past to survive and thrive. Several things can cause habitat loss. These are examples of just a few:

  1. Destruction – Probably the most well known type of habitat loss, destruction happens when important habitats for shelter or prey for bats are removed. Cutting down trees, development of open spaces for roads or buildings, and draining wetlands all reduce natural habitat for wildlife, including bats. Another form of destruction happens when land is converted to farming or other human uses.
  2. Fragmentation – This happens when roads, farms, cities, and other development divide land. A space that used to be wide open and connected to other wide open spaces may now be isolated. This form of habitat loss is especially dangerous to bats and other migratory animals because it makes their traditional travel paths disappear or become more dangerous, with less food and shelter available along the way.
  3. Degradation – Unfortunately, some chemicals and other factors can cause an area to be unhealthy for bats and other wildlife, reducing the amount of appropriate areas for them to live. This can be a result of pesticide use, light pollution, or contaminated water, for example. Invasive species can also drastically change a natural ecosystem and make areas unlivable for some wildlife.

Climate change

Rapid, unpredictable, or unusual changes in seasonal weather patterns, like those associated with climate change, can make it difficult for bats to survive. Similar to effects on other wildlife and humans, heat waves and droughts can cause bats to die from overheating or from lack of food. Massive wildfires fueled by hot and dry conditions can also be harmful to bats by destroying habitat, although some level of fire can help keep forests healthy and provide better habitat for bats.

Even within secluded caves, bats aren’t always safe from the elements. Intense storms and heavy rainfall can flood roosts, killing entire colonies of bats trapped in caves or mines. Early season snow and prolonged freezing temperatures have also killed bats by blocking cave entrances with snow drifts and ice, or causing bats to freeze to death within their roosts during hibernation.

All of these events, heat waves, droughts, intense storms and flooding are occurring more often as the Earth’s climate changes and are expected to take a toll on bats around the world.


Mitigrating human

wildlife conflict are all causing a decline in bat populations. Clearing land for human consumption eliminates warm, dry, safe, and quiet roost spots used by bats.

People are destroying bats homes and lands for houses, neighbordhoods, buildings, ECT. and because of these the bats must move to a new place witch is dangerous for the bats because they are avaliable for predators, wind turbins, ECT. It is not easy to find the right home for bats so thats why it is so dangerous for bats when humands destroy there homes and if they destroy so many homes to bats they could go exitinct if they have no homes to roost, sleep, and eat at.