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FORT McCOY, Wis. - The Army joins the nation in observing Earth Day April 22. The theme is "A Partnership for our Planet." The Army is collaborating with federal agencies, academia and industry to evaluate how climate, conservation and species preservation contributes to readiness.
The 88th Readiness Division facilities play a role in the latter. Many species of bats occur on these facilities, to include a few Threatened and Endangered that have been identified on select locations. Acoustic bat surveys conducted in the summer of 2020 detected the presence of T&E listed bats on three facilities, Fort Benjamin Harrison Army Reserve Center, Indianapolis, Weldon Springs Local Training Area, Weldon Springs, Mo., and Sunflower LTA, De Soto, Kan. T&E bats have also been previously observed at Twinsburg ARC, Twinsburg, Ohio, and Kingsbury LTA, Kingsbury, Ind.
The Environmental Division within the Directorate of Public Works is monitoring the bat status on relevant facilities and taking appropriate action as required.
There are more than 1,400 species of bats worldwide. Bats can be found on nearly every part of the planet except in extreme deserts and polar regions. The U.S. and Canada are home to about 45 species of bats with more species found in the U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
Disease is the biggest threat to bat populations. Bats have few natural predators and while owls, hawks, and snakes eat bats, that is nothing compared to the millions of bats dying from White Nose Syndrome. The disease -- named for a white fungus on the muzzle and wings of bats -- affects hibernating bats and has been detected in 33 states and seven Canadian provinces. More than 6.5 million bats have died so far from White-Nose Syndrome. Scientists are working to understand the disease.
How can you personally help bats? Try setting up or building a bat box on your property to support the pollination and insect reduction in your area. See how many different styles of bat boxes designs you can find.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2022 08:21 |
| Story ID: | 418449 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bats and the 88th Readiness Divsion, by SFC Clinton Wood, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
