“I didn’t know that they would camouflage in trees!” and, “Their wings are like giant hands!” Those are just some of the comments made by participants in the Newcomer Youth Leadership Development (NYLD) program who recently attended a bat box making workshop.
The hands-on workshop lead by Sheryl Santos from Rouge Park had participants build roost boxes that will be placed in the soon-to-be urban national park for bats to live in during the summer when they are not hibernating. “The bats will use these boxes as roosting habitat. This means that they will live as a small community and take refuge and rest in these boxes during the day. They will then come out at night to hunt and feed on insects.” Sheryl said.
Working in teams, NYLD participants took turns hammering and fitting the pieces together while learning more about the flying mammal. Sheryl pointed out to the group that Ontario is home to eight species of bats, and they use tree leaves to hide themselves in as camouflage. In one day, bats can eat up to 1,200 insects, representing almost half their body weight!
While some people may get frightened by the sight of bats, Shyam, one of the NYLD participants, thinks differently. In India, we used to have them like pets. They used to sleep in the backyard, so I’m not really afraid.”
By the end of the workshop, the NYLD group completed 22 bat boxes that will be installed throughout Rouge Park around the wetlands, in open areas, and on barn walls.
