Take a peek at bats at Old New-gate Prison before they go into hibernation
Saturday’s appreciation to pay tribute at one of their natural habitats
Saturday, Sept. 10, is a day when Connecticut can finally express its admiration for the humble bat. Folks can flock to see the bats at Old New-gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Bat Appreciation Day, held by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development.
The special event is free with admission to the historic site.
Saturday is an opportunity to pay tribute to bats at one of their natural habitats just as they’re preparing to hibernate for the winter.
Bats are badass
What’s not to like about bats? They’ve inspired superheroes (The Batman, not to mention Batwoman, Batgirl, Batcow and the Man-bat), operas (“Die Flederhaus”), horror stories (Dracula) and paper airplane designs.
They’re also an essential part of the ecosystem.
DEEP and DECD have held Bat Appreciation Day for the past six years. When COVID hit in 2020, the event was held online — video from that and other years is at portal.ct.gov. DEEP’S website also has information on what to do if you see and find a bat, a section on “Teaching About Bats” for educators and parents and a general “Bat Fact Sheet.”
The event is “a celebration of bat conservation,” according to a release from DEEP, designed to “help raise awareness about the story of one of Connecticut’s most intriguing historical sites and its importance to the conservation of endangered species.”
There is a national Bat Appreciation Day, but it’s on April 17. Connecticut honors that day too but began holding a separate bat day in September because “it’s a time when we get to peek inside the caves,” says DEEP Wildlife Division Director Jenny Dickson.
The bats like the copper mine tunnels, Dickson says, because “in winter, they like stable temperatures. That’s what they’re looking for during hibernation.”
Bats are battling disease
Bat Appreciation Day is also an opportunity to raise awareness
that many species of bats are currently endangered.
The main thing endangering bats in Connecticut is whitenose syndrome, first reported in the state in 2006-07 and responsible for the deaths of millions of bats in North America. Whitenose syndrome has caused some bat populations in Connecticut to decline by over 90%. Some bats, such as the long-eared bat, is listed as “threatened” on the federal level as well as in Connecticut.
“Right now in Connecticut,” Dickson says, “most bats are either ‘threatened,’ ‘endangered’ or ‘of special concern.’ Even a notable exception, the big brown bat, has seen a 30 percent decline — a serious problem, but not when compared to the types of bat that have seen two or three times that decline.
Cave bats like the ones being seen in East Granby Saturday are “particularly susceptible to disease,” Dickson says.
Bats are beautiful
“I could say nice things about bats all day,” says Dickson, when asked to defend them against the notion they are creepy and dangerous. “They are one of the most misunderstood animals we have. They are the single largest predator of night-flying insects. That means they eat insects that might bother you, but they also help prevent crop destruction. It may mean a farmer doesn’t have to treat crops with pesticides as
often.
“There are other things they can do for us,” Dickson continues. “They can deal with sudden insect outbreaks. In other parts of the United States, they even pollinate plants, like some cactuses. People are usually surprised to hear that. They can play important roles beyond insect control.”
Another myth that needs to be dispelled, Dickson says, is about bats carrying rabies. (This is a plot point in Stephen King’s “Cujo” and other horror tales.) In typical environments, “less than one percent of bats have rabies.”
Dickson says that bats’ bad rep comes from what she calls “Hollywood hype. In some cultures, bats are seen as good luck.”
“Any chance we can get to explain that the myths aren’t true is a good thing.”
Positive cultural images of the little winged creatures around the world include “beautiful representations of bats in Native American art,” Dickson says, and “as symbols of good fortune in Asian culture.” She also admires the picture books Brian Lies that show fun-loving communities of cartoon “Bats at the Library,” “Bats at the Ballgame,” “Bats at the Beach” and “Bats in the Band.”
Saturday is Baturday
Dickson will be on hand for Saturday’s festivities. She says the day is packed with activities, including talks by “specialists in taking care of bats” and tips
on how to help bats. The storytimes (at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.) with readings of books about bats have proven to be popular with adults and children, Dickson says. There’s a tour of the mine, a “five senses hike” with master wildlife conservationist Shirley Sutton, a “Befriending Bats” session where you can meet bats up close and personal, and “bat crafts.”
For those who can’t attend Bat Appreciation Day (or those who prefer to appreciate bats from a distance), several of the days activities will be webcast on DEEP’S Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Facebook Page.
Is there a way the average Connecticut resident can help the bats?
“There’s not much that any of us can to control the disease,” Dickson says. “But we can all learn more about bats. We can understand their value and realize how important it is to conserve them.”
In general, Dickson says, “there is no reason to chase bats away. The less we disturb them, the more likely they are to survive.”
Bat Appreciation Day will be celebrated Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Old New-gate Prison and Coppermine, 115 Newgate Road, East Granby. General admission to the site is $10, $8 for seniors, $5 for youth and free for children under 5. portal.ct.gov