Help Gather Information – Bat Use of Pools

The Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation is asking for your help in understanding how bats use swimming pools across North America. Anecdotal reports suggest bats use swimming pools for drinking, perhaps especially in areas where natural water sources are scarce. If you own, use, or manage a pool on a regular basis, you could provide valuable information regarding bats’ use of swimming pools. We have developed an online survey, which is voluntary and meant to be taken only once per person, to gather data about this subject. Whether you observe bats around your pool or not, your responses are still valuable to us. This survey is open until 15 September 2013. You can find the survey, as well an informed consent statement, at this website:

http://batsandpools.wordpress.com/

Please feel free to distribute this message and web address to listservs or other contacts in North America. We are interested in gathering data from a diverse array of pool users.

Many thanks,

Zachary Nickerson
Joy O’Keefe
Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation
Indiana State University