Things that make you go BOO!

Your questions answered.

Since we couldn't get to all of your questions during the event, the speakers provided their answers below!

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Bats

Is there a fungicide against white-nose syndrome?

Yes, there are various ways of treating the fungus, including chemical fungicides, UV light and a specific strain of bacteria. However, while these are effective on bats in captivity, they appear impossible to apply in the wild. Not only would it be difficult to treat every cave in North America, but doing so risks wiping out natural fungi and disrupting delicate cave ecosystems: this risks doing further harm.

Is it worth putting up bat houses?

Yes, but don’t be too disappointed if bats don’t use them. Bat houses work best where there are already bats roosting nearby, and probably work best as a tool for public education and engagement with bats, and research, rather than direct conservation. For more resources, check out the Canadian Batbox Project: https://wcsbats.ca/Our-work-to-save-bats/Batbox-Project/BatBox-Project-Canada-wide

Why do vampire bats need blood? And why is there so much diversity in bat species?

Because it is their food! Bats have been around for a long time, and have evolved to fill a wide variety of ecological niches. Taxonomically, bats are an order, and are equivalent to other orders, such as carnivores. The carnivore order includes a wide range of animals such as wolves, lions, bears and weasels, and knowing this it is perhaps less surprising that bats encompass such a diverse range of species.

Are there any province or nation-wide initiatives for bat monitoring similar to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas that use automated recording units (in addition to direct observation) to gain information on species distribution, populations, activity, etc., ?

There is nothing of that scale, to date. The challenges are the cost and availability of the equipment, and the collection, processing and vetting of the resulting data. There are ideas in the work: your Toronto Zoo hopes to be involved, and we have been piloting ideas at a smaller scale. Keep an eye on our web page and social media for possible future opportunities to get involved!

What is the smallest bat?

Kitti’s hog-nosed bat.

Due to the heat wave and fires in the Okanagan Valley, BC, it was visible to see the impact on the wildlife. Looking at bat species specifically, lots of them died in the heat. For example,  I heard of people having bat houses but it was so hot, they all died. I live on the outskirts of Kelowna on a hobby farm, so I'm wondering what I could do to help bats?

Extreme heat can be an issue with bat houses. Overheating is less of a concern in Canada but not something we should ignore, as recent weather events illustrate. I recommend checking out the information from the Canadian Batbox Project, where researcher Karen Vanderwolf is taking a deeper look at these issues: https://wcsbats.ca/Our-work-to-save-bats/Batbox-Project/BatBox-Project-Canada-wide. For other opportunities to help bats in BC, I suggest checking out www.bcbats.ca for information on community bat projects in your region.

Is there any indication that little brown bats are evolving to be resistant to white-nose syndrome?

We are still in the early days of research to understand this, but the fact that they have not completely disappeared in areas like Ontario and Quebec, after 10 years of exposure to the fungus, could suggest that a small portion of the population is able to resist.

Wolves and coyotes

Do coyotes and wolves fight?

Sometimes. Wolves and coyotes are territorial animals with strong family bonds. Like other territorial animals, they may fight with others that threaten their safety, either through direct harm or through competition over limited resources (often food, but also mates). We see this conflict between wolves and coyotes, but we also see this among coyotes and wolves. In most cases, aggressive posturing is used (scent marking, vocalizations, growling, aggressive body language) to dissuade the "offending" animal from venturing too close to the coveted resource. If that doesn't work, a chase may ensue, which often leads to the "trespasser" getting the message and backing off. Actual fights do happen, but these are risky, so any animal considering this knows that the fight had better be worth that risk!

In terms of wolves vs coyotes, coyotes are seen as a potential threat, especially in terms of scavenging on wolf kills. Coyotes will often coexist with wolves in the same area, so long as the coyotes stay out of the way of the wolves (so that they aren't in the same place at the same time). Wolves have been known to kill coyotes that get too close and don't get the message to back off. In fact, the coyote population in Yellowstone declined in the years after wolves were reintroduced. This would have been from a combination of coyotes dispersing and adapting to the challenge of competing with wolves, as well as some direct killing of coyotes by wolves.

We don't have a lot of studies about coyotes fighting with other coyotes, but we have many observations of this in wolves, especially in the very well-studied Yellowstone region. There, biologists were able to really see the importance of the different personalities of wolves. Some were more aggressive and would fight even members of their own family to become the head of the pack, whereas others were more tolerant of other wolves and rarely fought. Interestingly, one of the most successful packs was led by a wolf that rarely fought other wolves.

Every once in awhile my dog howls. Usually when a siren is going by.  I know other dogs that howl regularly. Do you know why?

Dogs still retain many traits from their ancestral wolves. I'm not aware of research on howling in dogs, but from my understanding it is due to similar motivations to wolf howl; howling to sirens might be a response to what they perceive as a strange sounding wolf or dog, for instance. Dogs have often been observed howling when their family is away, which may be an expression of sadness at their lack of presence, even distress, or an attempt to communicate with them from far away. Not all dogs howl, this appears more common in some breeds than others.

I've been seeing a black coyote around town (I live in the northern boreal forest of Saskatchewan) as well as a black fox, but when I posted a video of the black coyote, 80 per cent of people commenting said it must be a coy-wolf or a coy-dog. Is it true that a dark-phase/melanistic coyote or wolf is always a hybrid of some kind?

Black wolves are much more common than black coyotes, so my first question is whether you're sure it is a coyote, not a wolf.  If you are certain that it is a coyote, I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it is what we would call a hybrid. Black coyotes are rare, but have been observed on occasion. The black colour is due to melanism, caused by a genetic trait. This is similar to what causes black wolves and black foxes. We see similar melanism in other species too. Researchers think that melanism in coyotes may be due to hybridization, but they usually think that this is due to DNA mixed in a few generations ago, not due to that animal being a coyote-wolf or coyote-dog hybrid. 

Melanistic coyotes have been observed more in the southeastern US, some areas where they are as much as 1 to 2 per cent of all coyotes. A research group in Atlanta (The Atlanta Coyote Project) is actually studying melanism in coyotes, they might be able to provide you more information. See: https://atlantacoyoteproject.org/melanism-in-coyotes/

What is the biggest wolf in the world?

The largest wolf is a grey wolf, but most wolves in the world are grey wolves. This includes numerous subspecies. The timber wolf, also called the Mackenzie Valley wolf, is the subspecies with the largest known wolves; males are known to weigh up to 175 lbs.

Which wolf is the strongest wolf?

All wolves are strong. As the largest wolves (as well as the most wide-spread), grey wolves would probably be considered the strongest. They regularly take down prey four times their size (e.g. moose, elk).

While solo skiing in Nopiming Park, I sometimes encounter solo wolves. They are very shy and usually run, or at least keep a large distance. Is it reasonable to assume a wolf pack would react the same way or would/could it be more aggressive? If so, how best that I react?

Although lone wolves do exist, they usually are seeking to join a pack. However, wolves, even when travelling in a pack, are not always in very close proximity to each other (at least from our perspective). My guess is that you are seeing one wolf of the pack, perhaps the one that is keeping a look out for the rest of the pack, or the one that is the most curious of the pack. Seeing one wolf doesn't necessarily mean it is a lone wolf.

In any case, the way a wolf acts will really depend on that wolf's personality and experiences. Wolves are both cautious and shy, as well as curious. In most areas where wolves encounter humans, they tend to be wary of humans as they understand we are a threat to them. This would be similar for lone wolves as well as wolves in packs. However, in areas where wolves see few to no people, they may exhibit more curiosity and less fear. This is what researchers including Dr. Mech found when studying wolves in remote Ellesmere Island decades ago. So, if they are less fearful, they are not necessarily aggressive. 

Still, like any wild animal, wolves can be dangerous, especially if they have been food conditioned (this is more common in areas with more human activity, but can also happen in remote areas due to work camps or hunting parties that leave food unsecured or bait traps). The best tips to stay safe are not too different from travelling around bears or other wildlife: Stay aware of your surroundings, always pack food away securely, never have any food or other scented items in your tent. If you encounter a wolf, stand your ground and be large, and do not run!

When do wolves look for food?

All the time! Wolves may hunt in the day or at night, and they are always happy to scavenge on an already-dead animal. Wolves are always observing the behaviour of their prey to spot the weaker individuals, but even these animals can be very challenging to hunt, and therefore they often go for days between meals.

Do wolves hibernate?

No, in fact, wolves LOVE winter. Wolves in Canada and other northern regions have thick fur that is well adapted to keeping them warm, and they have big, webbed feet that help them travel through snow more efficiently. In fact, wolves often do best in tough winters, as they are able to scavenge on those animals (e.g. deer) that struggle due to cold temperatures and deep snow covering their food.

Spiders and eco-anxiety

Do tarantulas spin webs?

Tarantulas don’t spin webs to catch their prey like other spiders do, but they do make silk! They use it to protect and strengthen their burrows, and some even use it to create a “trip wire” to alert them when prey come near their burrow. Tarantulas are very stealthy, ambushing their prey under cover of night and paralyzing them with their venom.

What are some helpful tips for addressing eco-anxiety?

Earth Rangers has developed a comprehensive guide to helping children cope with eco-anxiety, which you can download here. For adults, the approach is very similar – talk to family, friends, or a common interest group about your worries. Take action at home by making more sustainable choices, getting involved with a cause like Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Environmental Defense, or a local group taking action in your community. Spend time outside for your well-being. If your feelings are overwhelming you or making existing mental health issues worse, speak to your doctor or a counselor.

Some of the animals you’ve shown are dangerous. Shouldn't we be teaching our kids that?

Of course, it’s important for kids to know what to do when you meet a dangerous animal, especially if you live somewhere you’re likely to encounter them. But a good way to approach it is by teaching children to respect wildlife. If you see a wild animal, give them lots of space and observe them from a distance, and don’t try to pet them or feed them (even if they’re really cute!). Wild animals are not like pets and humans can really scare them, and they might even bite or scratch if we get too close.