Some folks are quick to dismiss bats as simply ‘scary’ (and the association with Halloween doesn’t help things). But during Bat Appreciation Month, consider their valuable contributions to the ecosystem. Bats around the world help to control bug populations (including agricultural pests), pollinate important plants, and disperse seeds–helping to regenerate lands that have been overharvested or otherwise damaged. In fact, what’s truly scary is how much we’d miss bats if they were gone. In North America, a disease called white-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats since it was identified in 2006–and scientists are working hard to find a way to help bats recover. One easy way to help bats is to build or buy a bat box for your property, and provide them with a safe space to roost.
A species worth defending
Today in History
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Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
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Cool water in the Quinault
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Central Highlands of Vietnam
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Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California
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Social climbing
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Arbor Day
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A day of service for Dr. King
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Northern coast of Colombia
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Brown bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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Peel Castle on St. Patrick’s Isle with the Isle of Man in the background
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A center of antiquity on the Mediterranean
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A day to celebrate the sun
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Presidents Day
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The Bahamas as seen from the ISS
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National Love a Tree Day
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Groundhog Day arrives—beyond a shadow of a doubt
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Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia
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Juniper Springs, Florida
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Bournemouth beach huts
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A cutting-edge art gallery opens in Paris
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National Blueberry Day
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Lighting it up for Vivid Sydney
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Midsummer in Sweden
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On the rebirth of the Olympic Games
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Shark Awareness Day
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Art abounds at the Palais Garnier
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Atop the Needle of Chamonix
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Old Town of Rovinj, Croatia
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Beech trees and wild anemones, Jutland, Denmark
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Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba