Biologists asking the public for reports of bats
The Metro Vancouver-Squamish Community Bat Program is asking the public for reports of dead bats and daytime bat activity in an effort to detect white-nose syndrome, a fatal disease, caused by a fungus, that has killed millions of bats. BC bats are essential to our ecosystems and provide substantial economic benefits by helping control agricultural, forest, and urban insect pests including mosquitoes.
White-nose syndrome was detected in New York in 2006 and continues to spread westward. “The disease has been found in bats in Washington and Alberta, and the fungus was found in a guano sample in the Boundary region. However, we have yet to see bats with evidence of the disease in BC, which often appears several years after the fungus moves in,” says Brynne Graham, coordinator for the Metro Vancouver-Squamish Community Bat Program. White-nose syndrome does not cause illness in humans or pets.
All live bats should be left alone — keep your distance, snap a photo and report it. Never touch a bat with bare hands. Contact the Metro Vancouver-Squamish Community Bat Program for further directions on how to collect dead bats. Report to www.bcbats.ca, 1-855-9BC-BATS ext. 11 or vancouverbats@gmail.com.
In partnership with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the Metro Vancouver Community Bat Program provides information on bats and promotes local stewardship and citizen science. The program runs thanks to funding from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Environment and Climate Change Canada, BC government, and BC Conservation Foundation and regionally with the support of numerous businesses, organizations, and volunteers.
From Nov 1 through May 31 (WNS surveillance period), if possible, collect the dead bat (without touching them with bare hands) and wrap with a paper towel and place in a plastic zip lock bag. Contact your local bat program immediately (Find your regional bat program here). Refrigerate the specimen or freeze if it will be longer than 48 hours before the bat is picked up. White Nose Syndrome is a fungus that is not harmful to humans.
White-nose syndrome map close up of BC. Downloaded 2026-01-08.
For more information contact:
Brynne Graham, Metro Vancouver-Squamish Region Coordinator, BC Community Bat Program
Toll free line. 1-855-922-2287 ext. 11
Cell: 778-679-1883 (personal)
Email: vancouverbats@gmail.com
Website: https://bcbats.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bcbats
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotbats/
Title photo: Hibernating myotis showing white patches of fungus growing on wings and face, signs of white-nose syndrome. Photo by Jordi Segers.