Threatened and endangered

In this episode of the award-winning Wildtalk Podcast, we talk with Ashley Cole-Wick from Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) about the work they do for Michigan's rare species. Then, we fly away with a discussion about the trumpeter swan, and wrap up the episode with a chat about the northern long-eared bat. Pete Kailing also stops in to talk about hunting and trapping opportunities and more that are available in the month of September. 

Episode Hosts: Rachel Lincoln and Eric Hilliard
Producer/editor: Eric Hilliard

• All things habitat
  • Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI)
  • Michigan threatened and endangered species list
  • Report a rare species
  • Karner blue butterfly
• All things feathers
  • Trumpeter swan
• All things fur
  • Northern long-eared bat
  • Lake States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conservation Plan
  • Nuisance wildlife information
• Hunting season calendar

Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.

Transcript

Announcer:
The Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app is your digital connection to all things hunting and fishing in Michigan. Buy, store, and display your hunting and fishing licenses; check your points and chances for elk and bear; apply for the draw and view drawing results; access all the hunting and fishing regulations; view your hunter safety certificate; and report your harvest all from within the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app. Just click the app banner at the top of the page for download instructions at michigan.gov/hunting.
You know what that sound means. It's time for Michigan DNR's Wildtalk Podcast. Welcome to the Wildtalk Podcast, where representatives from the DNR's Wildlife Division chew the fat and shoot the scat about all things habitat, feathers, and fur. With insights, interviews and your questions answered on the air, you'll get a better picture of what's happening in the world of wildlife here in the great state of Michigan.

Rachel:
Welcome to a very special episode of the Wildtalk Podcast. Today, we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Michigan's Threatened and Endangered Species Law, a milestone that highlights half a century of conservation efforts here in the Great Lakes State. For those who might not be familiar, the Michigan Threatened and Endangered Species Law created the Michigan's Threatened and Endangered Species list, which is a critical tool used to identify and protect species that are at risk of disappearing from our state. It's basically a watch list that helps us focus on the plants and animals that need our help the most. Thanks to the dedication of countless individuals and organizations, Michigan has been able to prevent the loss of so many species.
Now, unlike some other states, we really don't have any huge reintroduction programs currently ongoing because we've been really good at keeping wildlife around through strong conservation efforts. There are a lot of reasons for this success, but one uncontested contributor was the passage of the Michigan Endangered Species Law in September of 1974, which has led to some serious conservation actions with amazing partnerships that we have at every level, from federal and state agencies to county groups and local communities.
In this episode, we'll showcase some of the historical and current conservation efforts that have taken place. First step, we'll take a deep dive into the remarkable journey of the trumpeter swan, a species that was once on the brink of extinction in North America, not just in Michigan, but is now flourishing thanks to dedicated conservation work. We'll also discuss the ongoing efforts to help the northern long-eared bat, which was just added to the list, and hear from our partners at Michigan Natural Features Inventory about the important work that they do this time of year to conserve rare species. To make this milestone even more special, we'll be giving a shout out to all of our listeners who donate online to the Michigan Nongame Fund. To hear your name on air, visit michigan.gov/wildlife and click on the link to donate.

Eric:
Of course, if you don't want to hear your name right on the air but you still want to make a donation, just check that little box that allows you to stay anonymous.

Rachel:
Join us as we celebrate the 50 years of protecting Michigan's rare and incredible plants and wildlife. Now, a word from our forests.

Announcer:
Trees provide for the wellbeing of our state. That's why we work so hard to keep our forests healthy and abundant so wildlife has a home, and so do people, so that there's clean air and water for everyone, and so Michigan's economy can be as strong as the trees that support it because every branch of forestry ensures that future generations will always have a tree for life and forests for a lifetime. To learn how sustainable forestry benefits your life, visit michigan.gov/forestsforalifetime.

Rachel:
Welcome back to the Wildtalk Podcast. Today, we are so excited to have a special guest with us. Joining us is Ashley Cole-Wick, who works with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Ashley, thank you so much for being here.

Ashley:
Thanks for having me.

Rachel:
Now, over here in the Wildlife Division, we are big fans of Michigan Natural Features Inventory, or MNFI as it's often referred to. We've discussed the organization a few times. But can you share with us a refresher on what MNFI is and what your mission is?

Ashley:
At Michigan Natural Features Inventory, or MNFI, we work closely with a lot of partners all around the state and region on conservation. Our goal is really to help guide the conservation of Michigan's biodiversity by providing high-quality data and expertise to decision makers and the public.
I like to a lot of times describe what we do with our tagline, which is Discover, Define, Deliver. I'm just wrapping up my field season. That discover part is we are going out all around our state to wild places, state game areas, islands, and we're collecting the data. Then the second part is define. That's us looking at that data, entering it into the Natural Heritage Database, getting it in the hands of the right people, drawing conclusions. That final step is deliver. That can be in the form of a written report you can find on our website, coming to y'all's Wildlife Division meeting in the winter and sharing results, and also just spending time with people in the field.

Rachel:
Can you tell us a little bit more about what your role is at MNFI? What is your field season that you're just coming off of look like?

Ashley:
I consider myself a conservation biologist, but at MNFI we have biologists, botanists, and zoologists. I'm a zoologist. I work with animals. We also have an amazing team of support staff who are GIS analysts, spatial scientists, and fiscal officers. They make our lives really easy. Within the zoology team, we have different areas of expertise. I am known far and wide as a butterfly person, the butterfly lady. My Instagram is the Moth Whisperer, and it's been like that since Instagram was invented. I do a lot of work with rare butterflies, but I also work with birds and sometimes land snails, freshwater mussels. All summer, I've been out since April doing research. My season tends to wrap up in early August, so I'm just now catching up on the data and reliving my field season through looking at all the exciting data points we've gotten from this year.

Eric:
When you say that you're the Moth Whisperer, I'm immediately met with pictures of Gandalf whispering to the moth as he releases it, and it goes off and talks to some giant bird.

Ashley:
The Moth Whisperer was a nickname that my aunt gave me when I was doing moth research in southern Ohio when I was 20 years old. You can't give yourself a nickname. She sent me a birthday card, and it said, "Dear The Moth Whisperer," and I was like, "That's it. This is over. I've been given the right nickname for my life."

Rachel:
This is my identity here on moving forward forever in time.

Ashley:
Now I don't have to remember 30 different usernames for everything because it's always available. No one else considers themselves to be the Moth Whisperer.

Rachel:
Obviously, we've got moths across the state, so does your work take you to anywhere in particular, or are you focused on one specific area in Michigan?

Ashley:
There are different versions of MNFIs all around North America and Central America. Every state has a Natural Heritage organization, which we are. So a lot of times our work is specific to Michigan. I've worked everywhere from Drummond Island and Pictured Rocks to Allegan State Game Area, Muskegon, and all sorts of areas. My work is mostly focused in Michigan, but I have been partnering with some folks in Alabama and Mississippi with a butterfly that has a really disjunct range and only currently occurs in four states. So sometimes we'll work around, but we are statewide, yep.

Rachel:
Gotcha. Now, this episode in particular, we're talking about the 50th anniversary of Michigan's Endangered Species Law. As you mentioned, MNFI plays a significant role in conserving Michigan's rare species. Could you explain how MNFI is involved in identifying or protecting endangered species in the state and maybe touch on how the law intersects with the work that MNFI does?

Ashley:
At MNFI, we work closely with so many partners. But in terms of Michigan Endangered Species Law, I can think of three ways. The first is the status of these species. We need data to help inform whether or not a species is increasing, declining, or stable. How are its populations doing? So we provide data to partners, specifically like the DNR Fish & Wildlife Service. These entities are making the final decisions on whether or not a species is listed as endangered, threatened, special concern, or sometimes we have a really great victory and we get to down-list a species because recovered. The Kirtland's warbler, which lives in our pine barrens in northern Michigan, is a really good example of a victory. Unfortunately, I'm working with some species where every time someone asks about the data, with the Mitchell's satyr, it's still really rare. Let's give it the highest level of protection we can.
The second way we work with the Endangered Species Law is to provide agencies data so that they can comply with laws, like the NEPA or the National Environmental Policy Act. Then the third way is we provide advice for conservation. This is kind of one of those soft skills that it's hard to sometimes write up exactly all the ways that we help in this way. We will do anything from presenting to just going on a one-on-one walk with a land manager and helping them better figure out how their species are doing that they're managing for.

Rachel:
Now, that is a lot of great action that MNFI is involved with. If you had to provide some examples, what are some successes or milestones that MNFI has achieved in recent years?

Ashley:
Well, we recently celebrated our 40th anniversary at MNFI, and that is really exciting. As we were putting together our most recent annual report and looking back at the past 40 years, one thing I noticed is that we have incredible staff retention, which I think really is one way to measure how great an organization is to work for. I counted, I think, we have seven or eight staff that have been at Michigan Natural Features Inventory since the '90s. So that's a long time, and we've grown hugely too. MNFI has grown in the last year. It's almost doubled since 2015 in staff. So that means that our partners are really happy with the work we're doing with them.
I think one way that MNFI has really kept up is that we've been embracing new technology. We have a few people on staff that are drone pilots. We can get really good looks at habitats and share our stories a lot better by using drones, but we also released a Survey123 app so everyone in the public can give us their rare species data. We've really streamlined a lot of our data collections so we can really responsibly spend this money on getting the best data possible to our funders without having to spend all of our fall entering data, for instance.

Rachel:
Those are some really great achievements. We can link to the annual report in our podcast show notes because it is a really beautiful report that you guys have pulled together. It's really interesting to see the updates to the species. Because recently with the update to the Threatened and Endangered Species list, you guys are very intertwined with that process, and so you can see the changes to the list there. It's really well done.

Ashley:
Yeah, I'm proud of that story map. A few of us worked really hard on that. There are just certain stories that are harder to tell with a paper annual report. With this, it's really interactive. You can zoom in and really interact with the projects we do. About 25 of our staff that have projects, each of us have 10 projects going on at any one time. So it's really a good experience to explore in there.

Rachel:
Well, as we wrap up, what can the public do to support MNFI's efforts or contribute to the conservation of Michigan's natural heritage?

Ashley:
Hopefully, everyone's gotten some time this summer to spend in our state parks and game areas and national parks. If you think you observe a rare plant or animal species and you look up and it is listed as threatened, endangered, or special concern here in Michigan, we would love to get that data. We spend all summer traversing all sorts of terrain to get these data on these special species. So we would really like people to share with us their rare species data. That is one way.
Another way is just to learn more about the wildlife around us on our website. Michigan Natural Features Inventory will take you right to our website. We have species abstracts and pages about all of these different rare species. Sometimes people are really surprised to find out what's in their own backyard. Whatever county you live in Michigan, you can hover your cursor over the county, and it will tell you which year that species was last seen in your own backyard. So, yeah, we really appreciate people sharing their data with us.

Eric:
What is the best way for people to share if they run across one of these rare species? What's the best way for them to let you know about it?

Ashley:
The absolute best way is we have a Survey123 app that you can find. If you go to our website, we have instructions on how to download it and use it. We also have old fashioned PDFs that you can print off and fill out those forms. You can also see on our website who is the right expert for that group. For instance, I say I work with some snails and mussels, but my coworker, Pete Badra, is the guy to call or email if you have a rare mussel you found. Then MSU extension also has an Ask an Expert function. So you can get in touch with us those ways.
Be aware, some of us are in the field all summer, so we're just now getting to that season where we're catching up. I also think, just speaking of being informed, is Rachel and I worked together on a video this spring. We are so pleased with the product, and I'm sure Rachel can share a link for that. The Karner blue is just such a special species, and I feel so honored to get to work with it every year.

Rachel:
Yeah, that was a really fun project. We mentioned the Allegan State Game Area earlier in this episode. We were talking about trumpeter swan restoration. But a recent ongoing restoration project that's happening there and a monitoring project is looking at Karner blue butterflies in their savanna systems that are nesting on lupine. Ashley and I got to work together to go see butterflies and shoot really cool footage of them. We have shared that out, but we could definitely link to it again if anyone's interested in seeing the video.

Ashley:
I will say, the highlight of my entire field season this year was at two places at Allegan State Game Area and Muskegon State Game Area. Some land managers have been really working hard on restoring oak savanna and oak barren systems. We found new butterflies at some of these restorations for the first time that we know of. So we found these Karner blues finding these habitats, and that is just so exciting. It was really the best part of my year. Because people work so hard on managing these systems and trying to get it right and having an endangered species that habitat has gotten too grown over for it to live there, to see them just find their own way back. I had been talking with some land managers about how we need to be assisting the butterflies finding this. Then I was like, "I'm going to make a plan next winter to get these butterflies over here. I'm going to figure out the paperwork." Then they did it on their own. So thank you Karner blues for saving me a lot of paperwork.

Rachel:
Well, Ashley, thank you so much for sharing your insights with us. It has been a delight to have you on the show and to talk about moths and butterflies and all of the excellent rare species conservation work that you do. So thank you so much for joining us.

Ashley:
Yes, thank you for having me. It's so nice to see you, too.

Rachel:
Well folks don't fly away. All things feathers is coming up next.

Announcer:
There are many camping and lodging opportunities available in Michigan State Parks. When you choose state park campgrounds, you get more than just a campsite. State parks offer a diverse range of recreational opportunities, including hands-on instructional classes, nature programs, places to fish, boat launches, family-friendly events, and much more. Reservations can be made six months in advance, so why wait? Visit midnrreservations.com or call 1-800-44PARKS parks to make a reservation.

MUSIC:
God, it's time for me to fly away now.
Fly away now forever.
Fly away now.
Fly away now.

Rachel:
Today, we're talking about one of Michigan's largest and most resilient birds, the trumpeter swan. These swans can stretch their body up to six feet in length from tip of the tail to tip of the beak and weigh over 25 pounds, making it the largest native waterfall in North America. Not only are these birds significant in size, but the story of trumpeter swan conservation has been equally monumental. They're a showcasing of determination and dedication required to bring them back from the brink of extinction.
Trumpeter swans are a stark contrast to their surroundings in their elegant white plumage and long necks. The beak of adults are all black, while the juveniles have beaks that are slightly orange in the center and their plumage is a bit more colorful with gray and white feathers. But they're not to be confused with the invasive mute swan species that is also seen here in Michigan, whose beaks are fully orange and whose necks have more of a curve to them.
Now, trumpeter swans are a waterfowl species found in wetlands that have had minimal impacts from human disturbances. Historically, they tended to avoid lakes that were more heavily developed or have a lot of people or boating activity, but have recently proven to be much more tolerant of those types of activities. Their scientific name, Cygnus buccinator, reflects their vocal nature. Cygnus is Latin for swan and buccinator means to trumpet. Now 25 pounds makes for a pretty heavy bird. So to get airborne, trumpeter swans need a runway of at least 100 meters of open water. They take off with a powerful running start across the surface, and their feet are pounding against the water like a galloping horse. It is an incredible sight and sound.

Eric:
Have you seen that take place?

Rachel:
I have not seen it take place in real life. I've seen lots of YouTube videos. I have heard them flying overhead, though, and you can hear their wings as they're flying.

Eric:
I myself have also never seen a trumpeter swan take off, and I feel like I am missing out.

Rachel:
I imagine it is quite an experience. They're shockingly big when you do see them in wetland areas. We have them nest on state game areas across the southern Lower Peninsula, and so you can see them from time to time, and you don't miss them. They're enormous birds. So to see one take off in flight would be spectacular.
Trumpeter swans aren't just impressive flyers or trumpeting vocalists or just graceful swimmers. They're also loyal partners, too. Trumpeter swans form pair bonds at about three or four years old and usually mate for life. Like in any other relationships, there are some few exceptions. Some swans do switch mates eventually, while others may lose their mates but will never pair again. In Michigan, trumpeter swans will start laying eggs in early to mid-April in the southern part of the state, while the signets, which are baby swans, will hatch in mid to late May. In the Upper Peninsula, it's a little bit delayed, and this process happens about two weeks later.
The trumpeter swan story is one of survival and recovery. After more than one hundred years of unregulated hunting for swan skins and feathers for clothing and garments, these birds were once nearly extinct in Michigan. Now, other contributing factors to the rapid decline of the species were overhead electric wires and lead poisoning from ingesting lead fishing sinkers from anglers. By 1900, they were completely gone from the Midwest, and there were only thought to be 66 trumpeter swans left in all of North America. That is where the recovery story begins.
There were three major populations of trumpeter swans across the United States: the Pacific Coast population, the Rocky Mountain population, and the Interior population, which ranges from South Dakota to New York and covers Michigan. Now, the Interior population exists today thanks to decades of dedicated restoration efforts by federal, state, and provincial biologists as well as private citizens.
These conservation actions for trumpeter swans began in Michigan in 1986, which is not that long ago. One of the early creative efforts in the trumpeter swan restoration project was cross-fostering. Now, cross-fostering is a technique where young animals are basically given to a similar species to be raised. It was determined that the Allegan State Game Area here in southwest Michigan was an optimal location for this recovery attempt because of the quiet wetlands that are nestled in the really expansive forest lands that's basically prime habitat for trumpeter swans.
Between 1986 and 1988, biologists at the Allegan State Game Area received donated trumpeter swan eggs from aviculturists and zoos. These eggs were then carefully placed into the nests of mute swans, hoping that the mute swans would raise the trumpeter signets as their own. Now, mute swans were thought to be an ecological equivalent, which means they fit into the ecosystem the same way a trumpeter swan does, which indicated to biologists that there is proper habitat for trumpeter swans to be successful again and that the mute swans could potentially make for good foster parents for the trumpeter swan babies. While this was an innovative approach and while the idea had good potential, it didn't quite turn out to be as successful as we had hoped.
Nevertheless, conservation tried again. In the late 1980s to early 1990s, biologists released 124 two-year-old trumpeters across Michigan. Many of these swans were raised from eggs that were collected in Alaska, while others were donated by zoos or private aviculturists. The effort, however, didn't stop there. Now, between 1994, which is a great year, lots of awesome podcast hosts born in that year, anyways, between '94 and 2005, an additional 122 swans were released across the state by organizations like Consumers Energy, Indigenous tribes, and private citizens. These efforts were sponsored by DNR's Nongame program and Michigan State University's Kellogg Bird Sanctuary.
The project was part of a larger North American management plan to restore a self-sustaining migratory population of trumpeter swans in the Central and Mississippi flyways. The goal was ambitious, to establish a dispersed breeding population of at least 2,000 birds and 180 successful breeding pairs by 2001. Now remarkably, these targets were met ahead of schedule with 2,087 swans surveyed in 1999 and 202 successful pairs recorded by the year 2000. Here in Michigan, our state's own restoration plan aimed for two flocks of 100 birds each by the year 2000, and that was a goal that we hit in 1997.

Eric:
So what you're saying is that's something that we could really toot our horn about seeing as we're talking about trumpeter swans.

Rachel:
You got it. You never miss a beat, do you? All of that work has paid off. Trumpeter swans have been successfully reestablished across Michigan and were removed from the state's Threatened and Endangered Species list in 2022. They are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Trumpeter swan conservation highlights the importance of sustained efforts in collaboration. From near extinction to a thriving population, the trumpeter swan's comeback has been inspiring. So the next time you see one of these magnificent swans gliding across a Michigan wetland, we'll hope you stop to think about the incredible journey they have been on. Stick around, all things fur is coming up next.

Announcer:
Pure Michigan Hunt applications are on sale now. If you want your shot of what is considered Michigan's ultimate hunt, pick up a $5 application or two. There's no limit to the number you can buy. If you're one of the three lucky winners, you'll get a hunting prize package worth thousands as well as licenses for elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, antlerless deer, and first pick in a managed waterfowl area for a reserved hunt. Purchase anywhere hunting licenses are sold or online michigan.gov/pmh.

MUSIC:
Try to catch me all and acting more (singing).
Try to catch me all and acting more (singing).
We try to catch them all, catch them all.

Rachel:
Today, we're talking about a bat species found in the northern region that is most easily recognized by its long, rounded ears. That's right. We're talking about the northern long-eared bat. The northern long-eared bat is mostly brown with the occasional patches of gray fur. They have a wingspan of 9 to 10 inches and a small mouth with 38 teeny, tiny dagger-like teeth that are perfect for snatching insects out of the nighttime air.
Now across the world, bats play a vital role in our ecosystem and are a contributing factor for many of our favorite things. If you've ever enjoyed a margarita, thank a bat. Bats are the primary pollinators of the agave plant where tequila comes from. Or do you like enjoying bananas or mangoes? You can thank a bat for those, too. Over 300 species of fruit depend on bats for pollination. Not only are they pollinators for our favorite foods and beverages, but also they provide pest control services, consuming more than half of their body weight in insects every night. Scientists estimate that insect-eating, or insectivores, bats may save US farmers roughly $23 billion each year in reducing crop damage by limiting the need for pesticides. Further yet, fruit-eating bats distribute seeds, assisting in plant distribution, and regeneration.
Bat activity changes through the seasons. During the summertime, bats are most active, as I'm sure many of us have observed the small flying mammals darting around in the sunset hours chasing after insects. In the late summer and early fall, bats will gather and move to places where they will hibernate, meaning they will spend the cold winter months in a sleep-like state because there's little to no food sources available, and by going dormant through this time period, they can survive. During hibernation, they prefer moist, still, narrow crevices where temperatures can drop as low as 34 degrees Fahrenheit. This hibernation period can last for eight to nine months in northern latitudes, varying depending on the local environment. While hibernation is critical to the survival of bats, this time period is becoming the most lethal for bats as well.
Northern long-eared bats and many other bat species across North America are facing a harrowing disease: the white-nose syndrome. This devastating disease, caused by a fungus, has decimated bat populations, particularly those that hibernate in caves and mines. The disease irritates and destroys skin, tissue, and organs which disrupts the bats' hibernation cycles. Now, normally healthy bats would only rouse from hibernation every 20 to 25 days, but bats that have been infected with white-nose syndrome wake every 7 to 10 days, depleting their fat reserves much more quickly and often leading to starvation.
In Michigan, surveys from 2018 showed that our bat population has declined by an alarming 83% compared to pre-white-nose syndrome numbers. Nationwide, the decline ranges from 85% to 95% depending on the region. This disease has spread as far south as Florida and into Canadian provinces, making it a significant issue across the continent. However, declines to the bat population in Michigan appear to be stabilizing and slightly increasing in some locations for some species. Populations are still at very low levels compared to pre-white-nose syndrome numbers, but we are encouraged to see the decline stop and numbers slightly increasing. So despite the challenges, there is hope for our bats.
Efforts to help our bat population include gating important hibernacula to protect those sites from human disturbance, which can exacerbate the effects of the disease. Ongoing research is also exploring various treatment methods, such as using chlorine dioxide to clean hibernation sites of the fungal spores, and even experimenting with ways to reduce the temperature in hibernaculums to slow the growth of the fungus.
To date, 12 North American bat species have been confirmed with white-nose syndrome. Due to the decline in the species, the northern long-eared bat was added to Michigan's Threatened and Endangered Species list in 2022 as a state threatened species. Currently, there are four of Michigan's nine native bat species on the list. In addition to white-nose syndrome, bats continue to face additional threats from forest habitat destruction, climate change that alters food sources such as insect hatches and nectar production of plants, wind turbine collisions, and persecution.
So what are we doing about it? Focusing on what we can control. The Michigan DNR, the Minnesota DNR, and the Wisconsin DNR have developed the Lakes States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conservation Plan. It's a lot of words because it's a very important document. This plan will address the potential for forest management activities that accidentally kill bats. Timber harvest, road and trail construction, forest use and prescribed burns can have negative impacts on bat habitat if not properly considered. But under the guidance of this plan, these forest management practices can go on with less threats in reducing an already threatened bat population.
The northern long-eared bat is specifically highlighted in the Bat Habitat Conservation plan. Some key actions the plan recommends are the protection and enhancement of caves for hibernaculum on DNR lands, to which there are 10 known hibernaculum entrances in Michigan and 33 across the three Lake States. Here in Michigan, there are 15 cave gates, four of which are on Michigan DNR lands. They contain approximately 255 northern long-eared bats. So the protection and maintenance of those existing cave gates helps to prevent unauthorized access into the caves, which gives the bats the privacy they need to overwinter successfully.
Additionally, enhancing or improving those caves helps to stabilize the entrance and ensures that these entrances do not collapse so that the bats cannot enter or exit, and also helps to maintain microclimates inside the hibernaculums so that they remain just right for hibernating bats. By maintaining existing entrances, bat mortality due to changing microclimates is reduced. Over time, this is expected to result in an increase in fecundity, which is the number of viable offspring a bat will have.

Eric:
That's a fun word, fecundity.

Rachel:
It is. It's a great word. A lot of syllables there, and it's super fun because that's what leads to an increase in bat populations. Got to love it. Basically, we are trying to make sure their winter housing is comfortable and supports their well-being. Now, with all of that said, most of us will still rarely ever see bats, and when we do, it may be closer than what we would like, say flying around in our living room.
Now, what should you do if you find a bat in your house? While it might be alarming, it's important to remember that bats are not trying to harm you. If there has been contact with a bat or if it is unknown if contact has been made, it is crucial to attempt to capture the bat and have it tested for rabies as bats can transmit rabies to humans and pets. If you suspect a person has been bitten by a bat or had direct exposure, contact your local health department. If you suspect a pet has been bitten or exposed, contact your veterinarian.

Eric:
It's imperative that you do capture that bat because, for example, if you are exposed or you don't know if you were exposed and that bat, you just let it go, you're probably going to want to undergo that post-rabies exposure treatment. Whereas if they can test the bat and determine, "Oh, this bat didn't have rabies," you're okay. Then you don't need to go through that treatment unnecessarily.

Rachel:
Right, yeah. That's really helpful guidance. However, if you are confident that the bat hasn't had any direct interaction with humans or pets, so for example, you see it fly in, you know that it hasn't come into contact with people or any pets, then the best course of action you can take is to gently guide it out of your home. You can open a window or door, and the bat will likely find its way out on its own.
If it does not find its way out on its own and you need to provide assistance, remember these few things. One, do not touch the bat with bare skin. Put on protective gloves immediately and cover all skin surfaces. Two, find a box or a container that has air holes and gently trap the bat inside. You can place the container in a quiet, safe place and wait until dark before releasing the bat outdoors. Now, bats can be released during the daytime, but there are many more aerial predators that could see the bat and attack the bat. So if you release it at night, that just increases its chance to escape without predation.
When you go to release the bat, make sure to put the container in an elevated location, so either a tree limb, a ladder, a second story deck, something up high at least two or three feet off the ground because the bat needs to drop from a high point in order to catch flight. Bats cannot take off into flight from the ground. They instead need a little help from gravity.
Bats can make their way into your homes by accident by flying through an open door or window, or could get in through a roof or chimney and find that your attic space makes for a good hibernaculum. Their small bodies can shimmy through cracks just bigger than an inch and can become a real nuisance or a possible safety threat. The easiest way to avoid an encounter with a bat is to act proactively. So in the fall before hibernation, in the spring, before baby bats are born in mid-May, investigate your attic and make sure that windows are shut and cracks are sealed. If you find bats or evidence of bats, you will want to install a one-way door so that bats can exit but they cannot return.
If you're concerned about bats in your house, you can visit our website to learn more about your options and best practices. Visit michigan.gov/wildlife for that information. Michigan is home to nine bat species, and we hope to keep each one of them around for as long as possible. We are hopeful that with the excellent bat conservation work going on with our partners bats will continue to enrich our lives and ecosystems.

Announcer:
Michigan.gov/dnrtrails is your destination for trail maps, trail etiquette, and trail closure information, trail information for biking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, hiking, off-road vehicle riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and even water trails for kayaking and canoeing are available. While you're there, remember to check out information about pet-friendly recreation, trackchairs, and the Iron Belle Trail. All available at michigan.gov/dnrtrails.

Pete:
"The golden rod is yellow; the corn is turning brown; the trees and apple orchards with fruit are bending down," wrote the American poet Helen Hunt Jackson. I am Pete Kailing, DNR wildlife biologist. Here is the long-awaited September hunting calendar. Crow season is open now and wraps up September 30. The Liberty hunt and youth deer hunt is September 14 and 15. September 15 is still the classic statewide opener for small game, including ruffed grouse, woodcock, fox squirrel, gray squirrel, cottontail rabbit, and snowshoe hare. Early antlerless deer season is September 21 and 22. If grouse are not big enough for you, the wild turkey fall hunt is September 15 through November 14.
In case you've forgotten, these species may be taken year-round with a valid Michigan hunting license and include the possum, porcupine, weasel, red squirrel, skunk, ground squirrel, woodchuck, Russian boar, feral pigeon, starling, and house sparrow. There is an open hunting season at all times on public and private lands from August 1 through March 31st every year. Hunters could be encountered in the woods or fields during these months. So be alert and do your best to be a good neighbor while visiting public land.

Rachel:
Now is your opportunity to win a Wildtalk Podcast mug. As a thank you to our listeners, we'll be giving away a mug or two every episode. Our August mug winners are Danny Austin and Pat Southworth. Check your email as we'll be getting in touch with you soon. They answered the question, an animal that walks with its toes and heels on the ground such as bears or humans is called a plantigrade.

Eric:
Think of tardigrade when I hear that word.

Rachel:
Ah, tardigrade, also known as water bears, which is one of the cutest common names I've ever heard of a species ever. To be entered into the drawing this month, test your wildlife knowledge and answer our wildlife quiz question. This month's question is, what is a plumicorn? Email your name and answer to us at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov to be entered for a chance to win a mug. Be sure to include the subject line as Mug Me and submit your answers by September 15th. We'll announce winners in the answer on next month's podcast, so be sure to listen in to see if you've won and for the next quiz question. Good luck, everyone.

Announcer:
Michigan Conservation Officers are working hard to protect and keep the outdoors safe for current and future generations. If you witness a natural resources violation, you can call or text the Report All Poaching hotline, 24 hours a day at 1-800-292-7800, or fill out the complaint form available at michigan.gov/rap. If you would like more information on becoming a conservation officer, click on Become a CO at michigan.gov/conservationofficers.

Rachel:
Thank you for joining us on this September edition of the Wildtalk Podcast. Remember, if you want to hear your name on this podcast, donate to the Nongame Wildlife Fund, and we'll happily read it out loud. You can find the link to donate at michigan.gov/wildlife. If you have any questions about wildlife or hunting, you can call 517-284-9453 or email us at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov. We'll see you back here in October.

Announcer:
This has been the Wildtalk Podcast, your monthly podcast airing the first of each month and offering insights into the world of wildlife across the state of Michigan. You can reach the Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 or dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.