Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for April–June 2025
Post-Hurricane Helene Bat Surveys Show Reduced Gray Bat Counts
by Katherine Etchison, Mammalogist
D uring early Spring 2025, post-Hurricane Helene bat surveys were at the halfway point, and we began to see preliminary results from gray bat roost surveys. Counts at the three roosts with the highest aggregations of gray bats, termed pri- mary roosts, revealed a 25% decline compared to historic counts. Two of the three primary roosts were fully flooded during Hurricane Helene and bats may have been present at the time. Despite the lower than usual gray bat counts, we noticed a few positive signs, such as the return of gray bats to a primary roost that was clogged with storm debris in the months after Helene. We cleaned out the blocked crevices in late winter, and during spring counts, we observed 400 gray bats roosting in the bridge. Another encouraging sign was the capture of a banded gray bat during a mist- netting survey on the Davidson River. The banded individual was first caught at the site in 2023 and was caught again in 2024. In addition to conducting gray bat roost surveys, we established 15 acoustic stations along streams throughout the French Broad River Basin. Data from these sites will be compared to pre-Helene data from the same sites to understand impacts from Helene. We will continue conducting frequent gray bat roost surveys and acoustic monitoring until bats leave the area for hibernation in October.
KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC
KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC
Left: Western Wildlife Diversity Supervisor, Kendrick Weeks, conducts an emergence count on a gray bat bridge roost. Right: Wildlife Diversity Intern, Sara Grace Dalton, U.S. Forest Service Intern, Sarahi Porcayo, and Western Wildlife Diversity Supervisor, Kend- rick Weeks, examine a banded gray bat during a mistnet survey in Transylvania County.
KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC
Above: Wildlife Diversity Technician, Joey Weber, conducts a gray bat roost survey in a culvert. Right: Wildlife Diversity Intern, Sara Grace Dalton, changes batteries on an acoustic detector along Jonathan’s Creek in Haywood County.
KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC
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