Bats Count! Bat Cam to Be Launched in Connecticut
Observe a live big brown bat colony at White Memorial Conservation Center

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Wildlife Division and White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield are working together to establish a series of Bat Cams in a barn at White Memorial where female big brown bats give birth to and raise their young every year. Join us as we share videos, images, updates, and data from this long-established maternity colony and also celebrate bats through several public events focused on bats and the Bat Cam. 

The Bat Cam installation is almost complete, in time for the big brown bats to emerge from their hibernacula and take up residence in the barn as the females prepare to give birth to their pups. Stay tuned to the DEEP website (https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Bats-Count) for updates on the bats and Bat Cam, as well as to DEEP's CT Fish and Wildlife Facebook page and the White Memorial Conservation Center website. Sign up for the DEEP Wildlife Division's monthly electronic newsletter, Wildlife Highlights, to learn about events, activities, and other important Bat Cam news.

SAVE THE DATE for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!

On Friday, June 16, 2023, a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Bat Cam will be held at White Memorial Conservation Center. Attend this evening ceremony as we unveil the Bat Cam and meet the bats that call White Memorial home. Have the opportunity to watch the bats fly from the barn at dusk as they embark on their nightly feeding frenzy. Noted speakers and fun activities are planned. Follow the DEEP website for more details as June approaches. To register for this Family Friendly FREE event…click here: BATS COUNT REGISTRATION

Batty About Bats

Connecticut is home to nine different bat species – three of them are considered tree bats and the rest are called “cave” bats because they hibernate during the winter, often in caves or mines. Cave bats have been impacted by white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungus that has reduced many of our once abundant species to the point where all but one – the big brown bat – have been listed as state endangered and two are also protected under the federal endangered species act. Although the big brown bat remains common in our state, it is still listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan and remains a focus of monitoring and conservation planning. The Bats Count! Bat Cam is one monitoring tool that will give biologists a window into the life and activities of an active big brown bat maternity colony, while also providing the opportunity for students and others to follow along and learn about this amazing species.