Contaminants

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Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
Family:Vespertilionidae

LANO are known to use tree or water habitat edges near urban areas (Everette et al. 2001) where contamination is possible.  In CO, other tree roosting bats are often associated with  margins of clearings or the narrow fringe of deciduous trees along irrigation canals on the plains (Fitzgerald et al. 1994), increasing potential exposure to sources of contaminants. It is well documented that organochlorine pesticide residues accumulate in body tissues of insectivorous bats (Clark 1981, Bennet and Thies 2007, Geluso et al 1976).  and insectivorous diets may lead to substantial pesticide loads (Clark 1988).  Detectable concentrations of elements such as mercury have been found in fur samples (Hickey et al. 2001).  The effects of contaminants from urban areas can be wide-ranging and all species are at some risk from contaminants.