A small Ontario First Nation is turning community gatherings into a lifeline for bats at risk of disappearing from the Georgian Bay area.
Leah Borts-Kuperman reports for The Narwhal.
In short:
- Shawanaga’s species-at-risk team combines Indigenous knowledge with Western science methods to monitor and protect little brown myotis bats, including tagging and tracking hundreds of individuals.
- Community engagement is central: Residents attend “bat nights,” help tag bats, and learn about their role in controlling insect populations.
- Seven of Ontario’s eight bat species are endangered, largely due to white-nose syndrome and habitat loss, making local conservation efforts urgent.
Key quote:
“Since we’re doing all this bat work, like putting up the bat condo, people are more easy-going about bats … they’re seen in a much more positive light.”
— Steven Kell, head biologist for Shawanaga First Nation
Why this matters:
In the heart of Georgian Bay, Shawanaga First Nation is harnessing community concern to protect bats on the brink. Bats play a crucial role in controlling insects that affect human health and agriculture, and their decline signals broader ecological stress. With most of Ontario’s eight bat species now endangered, Shawanaga’s grassroots approach is a blueprint for protecting endangered species, and a reminder that saving wildlife can be a community affair.
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