Although they have received a bad rap due to vampire films, the truth is that bats provide balance to the ecosystem. As pollinators, bats disperse pollen picked up when drinking nectar from flowers. They also eat large amounts of insects, including gnats and mosquitos.  

At the request of the DRUM Team, Bat Conservation International (BCI) recently conducted a survey of several abandoned uranium mines in Colorado and New Mexico and found evidence of suitable bat habitats. Signs of bat activity included bat guano and brush marks left by bat wings as they enter and exit mine openings.  

BCI provided the DRUM Team with recommendations on how to safely protect bat populations and the public. For instance, thanks to BCI’s input, LM partner agencies know which abandoned mines do not show bat activity and can be completely sealed off. Exclusion methods will still be used prior to complete mine closure to ensure no bats are inside. At abandoned mines that do show bat activity, DRUM partners will safeguard with suitable closures, such as bat gates and netting, which have openings to allow bats to enter and exit.