On Monday March 21, I had the privilege of tagging along with a team of biologists who were visiting Hibernia Mine in Rockaway Township, New Jersey. The purpose of our adventure was to gather data for various studies on White-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has killed millions of bats in North America.
Some little brown bat populations in New Jersey have declined as much as 98% since the emergence of the fungus. Before White-nose syndrome, Hibernia Mine was home to hundreds of thousands of bats, today the total is near about 400. So, the studies being conducted in the mine are vital to the survival of New Jersey’s bats and the future of the species in the Garden State. I was happy to help play a small role in the protection of these beautiful creatures. Summer wouldn’t be the same without bats flying through the night sky!
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