| Oregon Zoo workers rave about ODOT bat photos |
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| Oregon Zoo workers rave about ODOT bat photos |
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Oregon Zoo illustrates bat box exhibit with photos from ODOT
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Oregon Zoo workers are going batty over ODOT’s bat habitat restoration and enhancement efforts on bridges statewide.
When members of the Conservation Department at the Oregon Zoo found out about ODOT’s work to proactively address declining bat populations by incorporating bat habitats on bridge projects, they jumped at the chance to learn from ODOT’s expertise and to get snapshots of the nocturnal mammals up close for their display.
“I think people’s gut reaction is to be fearful of or grossed out by bats,” said Jyll Smith, public information officer for ODOT’s Major Projects Branch. “But bats are really an important part of the ecosystem: A single bat can eat up to 2,000 mosquito-size insects per night, which is essential to controlling the insect population.”
The photos and bat facts provided by ODOT will be included in the zoo’s new interpretive bat display, set to be installed this fall near the 50-foot covered bridge in the Eagle Canyon exhibit.
The Eagle Canyon exhibit has been open for a few years, and the bat information will be a welcome addition, according to Avory Gray, the Oregon Zoo graphics and exhibit technician.
“I had no idea how much ODOT has being doing for bat communities, especially through habitat creation and restoration on the bridge program,” said Gray. “It’s refreshing to collaborate with people who show this level of concern for the wildlife and habitats touched by their work. They’ve really gone the extra mile to help make a difference for this important, yet often underappreciated, creature.”
Some of the efforts taken on by the bridge program to encourage roosting include mounting bat boxes to the interior edge of the girders, casting rougher concrete beams to provide greater purchase for bats on vertical surfaces, and leaving crevices between the box beams to provide ample room for the bat movement, which is necessary for them to regulate their temperature.
“I’d like to think that the interpretive displays we’ve helped to create will have a positive effect on kids who come through on field trips and others who see the pictures of the bat boxes on our bridges,” Smith said. “Having worked for 10 years in outdoor programming for the Girl Scouts of the USA, I see a lot of value in showing visitors real-life, creative solutions that can be used to help protect the wildlife in this beautiful state.”
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