The Bats are Moving in!
Do you remember the bat condo in Colony Farm? Let us take you down memory lane…
Bat condo design
The condo was initiated by the Burke Mountain Naturalists (BMN), a local conservation group in Coquitlam. The group received a $10,000 grant through the George Ross Legacy Stewardship Program, a grant program that supports hands on stewardship activities in regional parks. Since then the money has been used to design and build a “bat condo” in Colony Farm. The condo serves as an upgrade to Colony Farm’s bat boxes – 10 year old structures that were becoming overcrowded and falling into disrepair.
The main construction team, Photo: Paul Steeves
The condo was completed in the fall of 2017 thanks to a hard working team of volunteers and a Construction Supervisor. The structure has already added value to the park, benefiting both wildlife and people – it serves as a great educational opportunity for park visitors.
Why are we updating you?
Great news! Recent monitoring efforts have discovered that some bats are using the new roosting structure – an achievement that was not expected to happen this early. At the end of June a group of volunteers observed roughly 120 bats using the new condo. There has also been an increase in guano beneath the structure and volunteer monitors have detected chirping through bat detectors.
Left: the bat condo in all it’s glory, Right: roosting evidence (a bat!)
We can’t wait to share updates as the season moves forward. Don’t forget to follow Pacific Parklands Foundation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more project updates!
