October may usher in a spooky season that hypes up animals like bats as chilling sights for Halloween, but that could not be further from the truth.

According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), there are nine kinds of bats currently living in Connecticut, the most common being the big brown bat.

The little brown bat, northern long-eared bat, eastern small-footed bat, Indiana bat, and tri-colored bat are endangered in Connecticut, while the silver-haired bat, eastern red bat, and hoary bat are labeled of special concern for the population.

Bat species throughout eastern and midwestern North America have seen a devastating decline in numbers due to White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). The deadly manifestation is caused by a fungus that develops as a white powdery growth on the muzzle and skin of hibernating bats.

“The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimated in 2012 that 5.7 million to 6.7 million bats had perished in the eastern United States and Canada since WNS was discovered in New York in 2006. For certain species, mortality has reached 90 to 100%,” DEEP reported.

If people can do their part to help bats survive and thrive, it can ultimately change their fate from extinction.

Two Connecticut DEEP licensed bat rehabilitators, Linda Bowen and Maureen Heidtmann, share how people can support bats and how these small but mighty creatures should be revered and not feared.

Meet The Rehabbers

Bowen began her work as a licensed rehabilitator in Connecticut for small mammals in 2001. Three years later, she began specializing in bats after a life-changing encounter.

“I was brought a tiny bat pup and was simply amazed at this tiny version of an adult that was no larger than one joint on my finger,” Bowen said.

Since then, she has crafted a website, bats101.info, as well as written and contributed to multiple books, including the chapter on bats in the vet textbook, Medical Management of Wildlife Species, A Guide for Practitioners.

The majority of bat cases that Bowen sees and helps with is when pups have been separated from mothers during the summer birthing season (which is late June to the end of July) and when they are disturbed while hibernating in winter.

For the latter, she explained, “Those are bats who have found their way into living quarters and can usually not be released outside to the cold conditions of winter.”

Bowen works with Heidtmann on occasion, as they are the only two individuals who are licensed to rehabilitate bats in the state.

Heidtmann has been caring for bats for roughly 25 years and is a Master Wildlife Conservationist.

“I met my first bat when I was about 5 years old; a bat flew into our apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y. My mother went bonkers, but I fell in love, and I started my life-long quest to learn as much as I could about bats; quite a daunting task,” she said.

Today, bats come under her care for a variety of reasons, from simple exhaustion to illness to injuries.

“I also do my best to raise orphaned bat pups,” Heidtmann said. “Illness is rare, and the most common injury is a fractured wing. If the injury is beyond my skills, I seek help from a veterinarian. Bats are often caught in glue traps that are meant to capture mice. House cats are predators of bats and billions of other small mammals and birds.”

Benefits Of Bats

Bats benefit people and the environment by helping with insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal.

Bowen detailed, “Bats in the east consume millions of flying insects every night, saving the agricultural industry millions of dollars each year in pest management costs.”

Bats specifically help reduce insect populations responsible for spreading various diseases to both animals and humans, too.

“In other areas of the US and around the world, bats are pollinators, and, in some instances, they are the only pollinator that a plant species may have,” Bowen said.

For example, she cites that long-nosed bats are the only pollinators that agave plants have.

Heidtmann agreed, saying, “More than 500 crop plants and 530 species of flowering plants depend on bats for these services, and rainforests are re-generated from seeds dropped by fruit bats.”

Every animal plays an important piece in the ecological puzzle, and bats are no exception.

Heidtmann said, “Bats have always played a vital role in the health of our planet, and now it’s even more important to do what we can to help ensure their survival around the world and in our own neighborhoods.”

How To Protect Bats

There are a variety of simple ways that people can protect bats.

Heidtmann recommends never using pesticides, glue traps, or fly strings, as they can be deadly or cause serious impairments to bats and other animals.

She also cautions keeping pet cats indoors to avoid them preying on bats and to leave dead trees standing in areas that are safe to do so.

Heidtmann and Bowen both suggest building or buying a bat house if possible.

Bowen said, “Before doing so, refer to the type, sizes, and placement before installing as there are very specific sizes and places that will become successful. Bat Conservation International and CT DEEP have bat box info.”

Another great way to help these animals is to tell family, friends, and neighbors about the benefits of bats to be part of changing the negative stigma about them.

Injured Or Orphaned

If someone sees a bat but they are not sure if it needs someone to intervene, Bowen says to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for further information.

“The general public is not aware of most normal bat behaviors. They should not proceed without speaking to a knowledgeable person about it,” she said. “Please do not take advice from online sources unless they are an organization that specializes in caring for bats. A neighbor’s or stranger’s input is probably not going to be accurate and may harm the bat, so seek out properly trained people for help.”

When contacting a rehabilitator, explain the situation in detail whether you get a hold of the person right away or need to leave a message.

“Meanwhile,” Heidtmann said, “keep pets and children away, and protect the bat from exposure to predators and the elements as best you can. A bat pup can safely be placed in a container of some sort such as a shoe box until it can be taken to a rehabber.”

When doing so, it is important to not pick up a bat bare-handed. Wearing heavy gloves is for the safety of the person and bat.

Bowen emphasized, “Bats are not the aggressive animals that folklore has made them out to be; in fact, the opposite is true. They are one of the least aggressive animals I’ve worked with. They do not fly at people in attack mode and are quite content to roost quietly, even as you may approach it. However, touching a bat is crossing the line in a bat’s head and you will be bitten. So never touch a bat with bare hands.”

She continued, “Because bats are mammals, there is a very low possibility that they may have rabies, but you won’t be able to tell by looking at them if the bat is sick. The rate of rabies in the wild bat population is considered to be less than 0.5% … Rabies can only be transmitted through saliva or contaminated tissue coming into contact with an open cut, sore, or through the eyes. Humans or domestic animals cannot contract rabies by having a bat fly in their house or through contact with droppings.”

To contact Bowen for bats, or waterfowl, in need of help, e-mail linda@cmsincorporated.net or call 860-824-5284.

Heidtmann can be reached by e-mail at winghand2001@yahoo.com or by calling 860-267-6128.

A third source to contact is Wildlife in Crisis in Weston by e-mailing wildlifeincrisis@snet.net or calling 203-544-9913.

Learn more about bats in Connecticut by visiting portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Fact-Sheets/Bats.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.

Bat Facts

Most people’s knowledge of bats stems from movies like Dracula and TV shows including Disney’s Vampirina, but they are not always accurate.

Test your skills and see if you knew these facts about bats that Maureen Heidtmann shared:

*Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight.

*Bats are not blind, but many kinds use echolocation to locate food at night.

*Bats are not rodents; they are more closely related to primates. They belong to the order Chiroptera, which means hand-wing.

*Most adult female bats give birth to a single pup each year; there are some exceptions. Some bats have twins, and others may give birth to three or four pups.

*Nine kinds of bats live in Connecticut: All are insectivores.