International Bat Appreciation Day was celebrated on April 17, 2023, and this was a great way to start discovering more about these fascinating creatures who are emerging from hibernation to once again share our skies, homes, woodpiles, and trees, and who rely on us to help their habitats and populations Read more…
When I first arrived on Mayne I was enthralled to see so many deer wandering along the island roads and paths. They are beautiful animals, and they would stand and look at me with their big brown eyes as I took their photo. But I soon learned that the deer Read more…
Spring is here, with rain, flowers, insects, and – bats! Our B.C. bats are now returning to summer roost sites. One of our more familiar species in buildings and bat boxes is the Little Brown Myotis. Like all B.C. bats, the Little Brown Myotis is an essential part of our Read more…
To follow up on previous posts in the Oystercatcher, in the fall of 2021 the Conservancy began to more actively advocate with the provincial government to live up to its responsibility to deal with the hyperabundant populations of introduced Fallow deer and the native Blacktail deer. The large numbers of Read more…
By Amy Reiswig, Mayne Island Conservancy Bat Ambassador It started with a party; specifically, a bat party. On the pre-Halloween weekend, I festooned my place with dollar store bat decorations, and people came riffing on “bat” – in their “bat”hrobe, as “bat”teries, or coyly “bat”ting their false eyelashes. People loved Read more…
It’s the middle of winter holidays, and every family has their rituals. Whether you’re roasting chestnuts on an open fire or bundling up and heading out into the rain or snow, everyone has their own way of enjoying (or at least making the most of) the colder weather. With the Read more…
As Halloween approaches, images of scary bats become commonplace. This is the perfect time of year to counter bat myths and do something to help bats, by taking part in International Bat Week (October 24-31). Bat Week is all about appreciating these amazing animals and their benefits. Our bats are tremendous consumers Read more…
Silver-haired Bat This bat species has been confirmed on Mayne Island using DNA testing. The Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) ranges across North America from northern Mexico to southeastern Alaska. In British Columbia, this bat uses forests and grassland habitats that range in elevation between 0 and 1220 metres. These bats migrate Read more…
Six bat species have been confirmed on Mayne Island through DNA testing. Yuma Myotis Long-legged Myotis Silver-haired Bat Hoary Bat Big Brown Bat California Myotis Our overarching concern Currently in North America certain bat species are being impacted by a disease called White Nose Syndrome which is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus Read more…
Raccoons: Beach Bandits Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are small mammals found on Mayne Island and across North America. Similar to what has happened with blacktail deer, raccoon populations have increased following the loss of the large predators that once kept them in check, and that is causing problems for the species Read more…