Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge: Odd winter weather causing bats to wake early from hibernation

By Chantal Theijn

To The Haldimand Press

JARVIS—Last month I received a message from a teacher at Caledonia Centennial Public School. The student had spotted a bat hanging from a windowsill on the outside wall of the school.

With the odd winter weather, we have been having we have a very large number of bats in our care. The bats in Ontario this time of year should be hibernating, but extreme temperature fluctuations have caused many to wake up only to find out that it is not spring.

Bats can wake up from hibernation for many reasons. Weather is one, but sometimes there is a mechanical reason such as construction or renovations that will disrupt hibernation. The most important reason however is illness.

Bats are a vector species (spread infection from one host to another) for rabies. The incubation period for rabies in bats is unknown because it can be very long, much longer than in humans. Rabies is a known reason for bats to awaken from hibernation at the wrong time. It is for this reason people should avoid handling or touching bats.