Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit

 

Date of this Version

2-7-2016

Citation

Lincoln Journal Star, Sunday, February 7, 2016, p. C-12

(N.B. Our local paper is sometimes lax on subject-verb agreement.)

Comments

U.S. government work.

Abstract

You don't notice them flying in the night sky as you drive home, or in the trees above you as you walk your dog or under the bark of the dead tree at your fishing hole, but bats are everywhere in Nebraska. In fact, there are 13 species of bats inhabiting our state. They exhibit a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Some migrate to unknown locations each winter. others stay in Nebraska and hibernate in caves, mines and occasionally homes. You probably won't notice them unless you happen to catch a glimpse of one eating insects under a streetlight or they make an unwelcome appearance in your home.

Biologists in Nebraska are working hard to understand what is happening to these important, frequently overlooked animals. Graduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are working on projects to identify how bats migrate across the landscape and to quantify bat population trends and habitat use. You can also help bat populations by building bat boxes, planting bat-friendly gardens or donating to the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund when you do your taxes this year. More information on bats can be found at savebats.org or batcon.org.

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