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First Bella Coola Batfest at Clayton Falls resounding success

The Bella Coola Batfest, held Saturday night at the Clayton Falls Recreation Site, was a resounding success.
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Biologist Mandy Kellner shows a Yuma Myotis Bat to interested public.

The Bella Coola Batfest, held Saturday night at the Clayton Falls Recreation Site, was a resounding success. Twenty-three people attended the event and met with biologists Mandy Kellner and Helen Davis, and assistant Jon Sampson. The crew set up mist-nets to catch bats, used bat detectors to monitor bat activity, and discussed bat biology.

As dusk fell, they captured three female Yuma Myotis and attendees got to see these bats up close. Kellner and Davis were also delighted to have the opportunity to discuss findings of their project in the Clayton Falls Watershed. These included the diverse bat species captured or detected, sightings of tailed frogs, western toads, and the location that same day of a Goshawk family and their nest.

The Clayton Falls Watershed Project is funded by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program on behalf of its program partners BC Hydro, the Province of BC, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations and the public, who work together to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife impacted by the construction of BC Hydro dams. Learn more at www.fwcp.ca