Halloween is just around the corner in Jasper National Park. 聽As you know, one of the mammals most associated with this time of year are bats.
A 2015 survey found there are seven different species of bats in Jasper National Park, with acoustic evidence of an eighth species. Two of our local bat species, the Little Brown Myotis and the Northern Myotis, are listed as endangered and are protected under the Species at Risk Act. Parks Canada works to protect these pint-sized creatures, which are found in locations from Sunwapta Pass to the North Boundary.
Bat Facts
Bats are fascinating mammals and one of the most often misunderstood animals on earth. Bats are important to our well-being, the economy and the environment. They also provide vital ecological services. All the bats native to Canada are insect-eaters and typically devour half their weight in insects during a single night of hunting for food. Their worldwide value as a natural form of pest control for agriculture and forestry is estimated in the billions of dollars. We can also thank bats for limiting the number of mosquitoes.
Did you know that the expression 鈥榖lind as a bat鈥� is actually misleading? While eyesight varies according to species, most bats are able to see as well as people do. In the dark they supplement their vision with echolocation鈥搇istening to how the clicking sounds they make bounce off their surroundings to situate themselves.
Also, bats do not aim to fly into people鈥檚 hair. When an overhead bat swoops down, it鈥檚 only to catch insects in mid-air.
Special Halloween Programming
Drop by the Jasper National Park Information Centre any time during the week to start your very own bat scavenger hunt. We鈥檝e hidden some fuzzy flying friends all around the town for you to find. Along the way you鈥檒l learn all about bats, why they are important, and why we need to protect them. 鈥ㄢ�‵or more adventure, join a park interpreter on Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cottonwood Slough parking lot (P4) for a one-hour guided bat hike. You may even see and hear some real bats. Special Halloween programming continues on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. with Halloween ghost stories at the Heritage Firehall. Parks Canada staff will talk about Jasper鈥檚 history with the supernatural including some haunting stories.
