Bat enthusiasts gathered at the Gerritsen Beach Library, at 2808 Gerritsen Avenue, on Thursday evening, August 27th, to check out Marine Park’s very own bats.
The Brooklyn Public Library, Marine Park Alliance (MPA) and the Gotham Bat Conservancy (GBC) organized the Bats! Night Walk, where the MPA and the GBC took bat lovers to the park to view bats flying at night.
GBC’s President and Director of Bat Conservation Science Ryan Mahoney and Executive Director Roxanne Quilty gave a presentation at the library, talking about what GBC does and educating attendees on the species of bats that live in New York, including their diet and habitats, as well as the purpose they service in the environment.
Founded in 2022, GBC has promoted education on the essential role of bats, provided materials and resources for ecological restoration of bat habitats and have increased bat populations in New York and beyond.
Mahoney discussed the nine bats, categorized into two groups, which call New York home. Cave bats hibernate in winter, and tree bats migrate south. Six species of cave bats are the Big Brown Bat, Little Brown Bat, Northern Long-Eared Bat, Indiana Bat, Tri-Colored Bat, Eastern Small-Footed Bat and Eastern Red Bat; the Hoary Bat and Silver-Haired Bat are categorized as tree bats.
Delving into bat facts, Mahoney noted that bats are insectivores or insect eaters and are therefore essential for insect control, saving $23 billion per year in agricultural losses and reducing the need for pesticides.
However, one devastating fact is that more than 90% of the bat population in NYC was decimated by white-nose syndrome, a devastating fungal disease, and by human activities such as tree, meadow and prairie removals.
Nevertheless, GBC is working to resolve this issue. After the presentation, they took attendees out to see some bats.
Visitors saw the Big Brown Bat, Little Brown Bat, Eastern Red Bat, Silver-Haired Bat, Hoary Bat and the Tri-Colored Bat.
“Bats are a misunderstood animal,” Mahoney said. “Most people are afraid of bats and have preconceived notions about them. It’s good to talk about them and bring people out to show them what they really are. That’s what we’re doing here – showing that they’re harmless and helpful.”
The night walk showed that New York bat wildlife isn’t something to be intimidated by, but something to learn from and appreciate.
“I’ve seen this program four times and every year, it’s exciting,” MPA board member Margot Perron said. “The GBC is doing great stuff; sharing it with the public is a lot of fun. You heard that outburst when the two bats were coming at the same time, and everybody’s reaction was, ‘Wow!’’”
