Staff reports 7:40 a.m.
Sunday, May 24, 2026 7:39 am
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HOLDERNESS - Squam Lakes Natural Science Center recently announced its upcoming NH Bat Counts Training on June 4 from 7-9 p.m. This free program, open to ages 12 and up, introduces participants to New Hampshire's bats and community science monitoring efforts and will also serve as the Science Center's first official bat count of the summer season.
Led by wildlife biologists Sandi Houghton of NH Fish & Game and Haley Andreozzi of UNH Cooperative Extension, the evening will begin with an indoor presentation on local bat species, conservation challenges, and statewide monitoring efforts, followed by an outdoor bat counting demonstration at dusk at the Science Center's bat houses.
The Science Center's second bat count will take place on July 22 at 8:15 p.m., when community members are invited to observe and assist volunteers as bats emerge for their nightly feeding flights.
The training and summer counts are part of the statewide New Hampshire Fish & Game Summer Bat Colony Count. Each summer, Volunteer Manager Carol Raymond leads teams of teen and adult volunteers in counting the bats that use the Science Center's five bat houses as summer maternity roosts.
The Science Center has been tracking bat activity since 2010, when more than 400 bats were counted on site. Numbers dropped to just 25 in 2013, reflecting the severe impacts of White-nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that has killed millions of hibernating bats across North America since 2006. In recent years, counts have rebounded significantly, with more than 700 bats recorded last summer. The growth is especially significant following those earlier declines and highlights both the resilience of local bat populations and the importance of continued monitoring and conservation efforts.
For more information or to register for the NH Bat Counts Training, visit nhnature.org.