A Little Bit More
For most people, just the word “bat” evokes a creepy feeling. Almost everyone has heard that “bats can get in your hair” but no one really knows anyone that has experienced this. If you think about it for just a minute, you may realize that a bat is no more likely to get into your hair than a sparrow or finch would – bats use echolocation and have extremely precise awareness of their surroundings. Bats in your hair? No way!
In a large portion of North America, bats are unable to find food in the winter so they must adapt during winter. As the poster points out, some do migrate to areas where they can remain active, but most hibernate. But hibernation provides its own risks since they need to choose a location that isn’t too cold nor too warm for an entire winter. This often precludes hibernation in the southern part of the country where temperatures are simply too warm for part of the winter.
Bats are true hibernators and dramatically drop their core body temperature at this time. They do rouse from time to time in winter and may move a bit to a more suitable location (warmer or colder) but for the most part are totally inactive all winter long. It is at this time that they’re especially vulnerable. Anyone entering a cave that has hibernating bats is likely to disturb them and ANY kind of disturbance can greatly sap their energy stores and prove harmful. Bat caves are often marked as such by conservation organizations and “visitors” are warned not to disturb the animals; not because people might be harmed but because their presence is harmful to the bats.
Activities
Science – Frostbite
Objectives: Learn about ways to treat/prevent frostbite
Materials: Access to internet
Bats need to hibernate during cold winter weather since there are no flying insects for them to eat, but food, or the lack of food, isn’t their only problem. Bats need to find winter locations to hibernate where they won’t freeze. If living tissue is exposed to freezing temperatures for too long, frostbite can occur. Frostbite is a very damaging problem that can and does occur in humans as well as other warm-blooded animals. With this in mind, I’ve found several online sites that provide information on frostbite damage and treatment that should be interesting and helpful for all of us to know. Check out the following:
Info on frostbite damage and treatment
American Institute of Preventive Medicine
Facts about Frostbite
Info for kids about frostbite
Key Concepts
Life Cycles, Behavior and Regulation, Adaptations and Diversity
Questions
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