Part of the Whistler 2010 sustainability report and the Whistler Naturalist’s information on Bats is included below:
Bat distribution and diversity, as well as the structure of local bat communities are strongly influenced by environmental conditions, prey and roost availability (Findley 1993, Humphrey 1975 and Kalko et al 1996), and resource competition (hussar 1976). Latitude large determines bat species diversity (Willig and Selcer 1989). For example one island in the Panama Canal is home to a total of 66.
Dating back about 40 years ago to the rainbow lodge and our first ancestors here, there are historic records of at least 10 bat species from the Whitler area (Ricker undated). The current status is unclear for a few reasons including:
1) Development since list was created (much before a ski resort or thousands of homes were built), and;
2) Bats are difficult to ID. DNA is required for keens mytosis and a couple species require skull and bone identification.
Whistler Bat List:
- Townsend’s Big eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) Blue*
- Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
- HoaryBat (Lasiurus cinereus)
- Silver hairedBat (Lasionycteris noctivagans
- Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus)
- Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis)
- Long legged Myotis (Myotis volans)
- California Myotis (Myotis californicus)
- Western Long eared Myotis (Myotis evotis)
- Keen’s Myotis (Myotis keenii) Red**
* Species at risk, and; ** Species Endangered
More Whistler 2010 sustainability information on bats is available here: page 46 ::)