Indigenous research into little brown bats aims to help species survive

This month the federal government announced money for some new ecological research projects on some First Nations in northern Ontario.

Part of the money will go to the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation and the Wahnapitae First Nation to study bats. Work will include a habitat evaluation, field investigation, bat-detection monitoring and community outreach.

"We're going to install some acoustic monitoring devices ...and they're going to let us know how many bats are here, but more importantly, what species of bats is here," said Wahnapitae First Nation's Anthony LaForge.

They will be paying particular attention to the little brown bat, which was listed as an endangered species several years ago. The bat population went into decline aftera fungal disease, White Nose Syndrome, causeddehydration, starvation and death for many of the winged creatures.

"So we're going to do some baseline data regarding that population, because the critical habitat for these bats has been identified here," Laforge said.

Having a healthy bat population can be healthy for humans, he added.

"They're very good for insects.The little brown bat can eat 30 to 50 per cent of its own weight in insects and pests at night(like mosquitoes). They're very good with seed dispersal of our native plants, so we feel there is a use for them here."

LaForge says once they've collected all the data, they can then work as a community to restore and protect the habitat.

"So when we have all that data ... we can augment our land use plan that we have now ...and add these areas," he said.

"So when council decides to to expand subdivisions ... or any other development, we can try to avoid those areas. So that we can move forward in the good, ecological way that is responsible for our area."

Other northern Ontario ecological projects receiving federal funding includeHenveyInlet First Nation's studies onfish habitat and turtle populations, andShawanaga First Nation'swalleye fishery protection program.