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COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
Sooke emergency coordinator Al Sooke emergency coordinator Al lines Wickheim finds himself on the front Wickheim findsrescue himself the front lines of earthquake in on Kathmandu of earthquake rescue in KathmanduPage 3 Page 3
Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Wednesday, July 15, 2015
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News News Opinion Opinion Arts Arts
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SPORTS SPORTS
Sooke’s Piper Allman, 13, has set a goal Sooke’s Piper Allman, 13, has set a goal to reach the top tier in international to reach the tier in international mountain biketop racing mountain bike racing Page 31 Page 31
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Sooke is Selling! 2015 Sooke Home Sales: 215 2014 Sooke Home Sales: 300 TAMMI DIMOCK
Personal Real Estate Corp.
250.642.6361
Mail Agreement #40110541 Mail Agreement #40110541
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In In search search of of the the
elusive bats
Researchers have no idea where large Researchers have no idea where large bat populations roost between Sooke and bat populations roost between Sooke and Port Renfrew – and need the public’s help Port Renfrew – and need the public’s help Kevin Laird Kevin News Laird Mirror Sooke
Sooke News Mirror
Kevin Laird/Sooke News Mirror Kevin Laird/Sooke News Mirror
Singing her song Singing her song Soprano Betty Waynne Allison performs at the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra’s
Soprano Betty Waynne Allison at was the moved Sooke from Philharmonic Orchestra’s Philharmonic Fling on Sunday. The performs annual event Ed Macgregor Park to Philharmonic FlingHall, on Sunday. The annual moved from Ed Macgregor Sooke Community due to weather. Forevent more was on the event, please turn to pagePark 13. to Sooke Community Hall, due to weather. For more on the event, please turn to page 13.
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Along Loss Creek, southeast of Along Loss Creek, southeast of Port Renfrew, you can see hunPort Renfrew, see hundreds of them, ifyou not can thousands, at dreds As of them, if not thousands, at dusk. the twilight sky darkens dusk.blend As the twilight sky darkens they into the darkness only they blend the intosame the darkness only to reappear time the next to reappear the same time the next day. day. Where bats roost and keep hidWhere keep hidden duringbats the roost day inand a large swath denland during the daySooke in a large of between andswath Port of land is between Sooke and Port Renfrew a mystery to researchRenfrew is a mystery to researchers. ers. Researchers say they know Researchers say the theylocal know “almost nothing” about bat “almost nothing” about the local bat population. population. “No one, as far as we know, has one, as far webats know, has any“No information onas the in that any information on the bats in that area,” said Jill Robinson, stewardarea,”coordinator said Jill Robinson, ship for the stewardHabitat ship coordinator for stewardship the Habitat Acquisition Trust’s bat Acquisition Trust’s bat stewardship program. program. And it’s a troubling phenomenon. And it’s16a troubling Of the species ofphenomenon. bats in B.C., Of the species of bats in B.C., over half16are red or blue-listed, over halfthat aretheir redpopulations or blue-listed, meaning are meaning that are declining and their they populations could become declining and they could become endangered. endangered. The B.C. Community Bat Project The B.C. Community BatinProject Network was established many Networkofwas many regions B.C.established in 2014 to in support regions of B.C. in The 2014goals to support bat conservation. are to bat conservation. Thebats, goals are to raise awareness about provide raise awareness about bats, provide information to homeowners dealing information to homeowners dealing
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Bats eat up Bats eat up pesky insects pesky insects Vancouver Island is home
Island home to Vancouver two different typesisof to two different types oftree bats: cavity nesters and bats: cavity nesters and tree nesters. nesters. They are all considered They areand all considered micro-bats only eat micro-bats and only eat insects. insects. Cavity nesters include little Cavity nesters include brown bat, big brown batlittle and brownbat. bat, big brown bat and Yuma Yuma The bat. silver-hair bat is a tree The silver-hair bat is a tree nester. nester.
with bat issues in buildings, promote withinstallation bat issues inofbuildings, promote the bat-houses, and the installation bat-houses, and develop a citizenofscience program develop a bat citizen science program to monitor populations. toBats monitor are bat an populations. incredibly valuable Bats areecosystem. an incredibly part of our Theyvaluable play an part of ourrole ecosystem. They play an important in controlling insect important role in controlling insect populations, pollinating flowers and populations, pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds and yet, we know dispersing seedsthem. and yet, we know very little about very little about them. “Identifying where they are living will“Identifying give us a where better they idea are on living how will can giveprotect us a better on how we their idea habitat and we can protect their habitat and more about what’s limiting in their more about limiting in their habitat,” saidwhat’s Robinson. habitat,” said Robinson. PleaSe See: See: Page A35 ResearchersPleaSe aren’t sure, Researchers aren’t sure, Page A35
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