It has been a tough decade for Northern long-eared bats. Since 2006, their population has declined by 90 per cent because of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease. But there is more hopeful news about the species coming from the Vineyard, where scientists have observed breeding bats.

Island wildlife non-profit BiodiversityWorks is working on understanding the prevalence, health and habitat of the bat on Martha’s Vineyard, with funding from the Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship. BiodiversityWorks biologists are collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to understand why Northern long-eared bats are surviving on the Vineyard and dying elsewhere in the Northeast.

BiodiversityWorks is looking for volunteers to help participate in an online study that will help with their research. If you notice bats flying overhead in the early evening, or if you have bats living in your attic, basement, barn, or trees, or if you’ve seen bats at all on Martha’s Vineyard, you are invited to complete a short online survey at biodiversityworksmv.org/gotbats. Your participation could help with the recovery of the ecologically important species.