The Only Mammal That Can Truly Fly

Steve Scher
05/22/2008 at 10:00 a.m.

The sun goes down, and bats appear, weaving through the air after insects. Many people fear them. Others admire them. Washington is home to approximately 12–15 species of bats. Around the world, there are nearly 1,000 types. Today we get to know these night creatures. What role do bats play in our ecosystem? What do different bats sound like? What bats can you find in your neighborhood? Also, bats in the northeast are dying from white nose disease. What are the ramifications?

Guests:
Martyn Stewart is a nature recordist. He's currently working on a five year project to record all the bats of the world.
Curt Black is an environmental scientist for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Seattle. He's also Technical Advisor for Bats Northwest.
Earl Matsui is a zookeeper for Woodland park zoo, working in the nocturnal house.
Elizabeth Buckles is an Assistant Professor in the Section of Anatomic Pathology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University.