Washington state is home to fifteen species of bats, but according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, these species face serious threats to their habitat and safety that kill a large amount of the population.
Habitat loss, windmill turbines, white-nose syndrome and climate change are all factors that have caused the deaths of large amounts of bats, according to the National Park Service.
Although some Washington residents may not like the creatures, bats provide benefits that could make building a bat house, a man-made bat habitat near your home, something to consider.
Bat houses provide a safe place for bats to go other than your own home. “Bats living in human spaces increase the likelihood of injury to the bats and potential rabies exposures to humans. Bat houses reduce the risk of human contact, and provide a warm safe space just for bats,” Kara D. McClanahan, instructional support supervisor at Washington State University’s School of Biological Sciences wrote in an email.