Death on the Beach: Mass Mortality of Eastern Red Bats over Lake Michigan
Ashley K. Wilson1, Allen Kurta1,*, Thomas Kovacs2, Bradford J. Westrich3, Kathryn M. Benavidez Westrich3, and Robin M. Kurta4
1Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. 2Department of Geography and Geology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. 3Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Bloomington, IN 47401. 4Beatty Early Learning Center, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. *Corresponding author.
Journal of North American Bat Research Notes, Volume 1 (2023):N1–N6
Abstract
On 29 July 2023, numerous dead bats washed onto the shore of Lake Michigan near Long Beach, Indiana. Based on our field observations, first-hand accounts of residents, and social media posts, hundreds of bats were involved. Almost all were Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bats). The animals probably were part of an early migratory wave that encountered severe thunderstorms over the lake the previous night. Future weather-related mortality seems inevitable as surface temperatures of the Great Lakes rise and lead to an increased frequency and severity of storms, which may exacerbate the current downward trend in the number of Eastern Red Bats and possibly impact other species.
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Journal of North American Bat Research is valued by the academic, agency, NGO, and private-sector research community as a respected and trusted source for science related to all aspects of the biology, ecology, and conservation of bats, Order Chiroptera, and their habitats in North America, including Canada, Mexico, the USA, and the West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Lesser Antilles). Manuscripts based on studies outside this region that provide information on species within the region may be considered at the Editor’s discretion.