SAVANNAH, Ga. – J. Strom Thurmond Lake, also known as Clarks Hill Lake, nestled between the states of Georgia and South Carolina, is not only a scenic haven for outdoor enthusiasts, but also a thriving ecosystem teeming with diverse wildlife.
In an effort to enhance biodiversity and address ecological concerns, the J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake Forest Fish and Wildlife Section recently installed boxes for bats to roost in, at six campgrounds surrounding the lake.
The boxes were initially assembled at Thurmond Lake by Cub Scout Pack 45 from Augusta, Georgia, in September of 2023 as a National Public Lands Day project, overseen by park rangers and volunteers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District.
District officials and volunteers erected the bat houses to attract additional bats to the area, as bats play a crucial role in the ecosystem by controlling insect populations with their voracious appetites.
The bat boxes are expected to provide alternative roosting sites in the summer months for bat species including tri-colored, evening, Brazilian free-tailed, big brown, little brown and Southeastern bats, according to Evan Brashier, USACE, Savannah District, wildlife biologist.
Moreover, the installation of the bat boxes serves a dual purpose in the fight against white-nose syndrome, which is a deadly disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans.
The fungus attacks the bare skin of bats while they hibernate. The disease also changes their behavior making the bats overactive. The additional activity burns calories depleting the bats’ fat stores necessary to their survival through the winter.
“The bat boxes are designed for air ventilation,” said Brashier. “Many of the places where bat species roost do not have air ventilation, which results in an increase in humidity, driving fungal growth. Roosting in the bat boxes will dramatically reduce the probability of the bats contracting white-nose syndrome.”
Each box has four chambers and can house up to 200 individuals of the smaller bat species such as the tri-colored and little brown bats, and between 50 to 100 individuals of the larger bat species like the big brown and Brazilian free-tailed bats, explained Brashier.
When the sun sets over Thurmond Lake and the stars begin to emerge, the fluttering silhouettes of bats circling overhead will serve as an inspiring symbol of how through initiatives like this, the delicate balance of nature can be preserved for generations to come.