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GORP Guests
Barbara French - Bat
Authority
GORP Guest from October 23 - November 13, 1998
Barbara French |
Perhaps because of their dominion over darkness, where humans are lost and vulnerable, bats traditionally have been feared and distrusted. Many cultures historically credited them with magical powers. Barbara French has dedicated her life to changing these common but incorrect images of the flying creatures. As Bat Conservation International's Conservation Information Specialist, she responds to hundreds of calls, letters, and e-mail queries, battling misconceptions such as the belief that rabies is widespread among bats or that they are destructive pests. Barbara spreads the good word about bats. Her message? That bats are gentle mammals that help humans by devouring hundreds of insects, including mosquitoes, every night. (Check out "A Bat in the House," from her Captive Care and Medical Reference for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats — her advice on safe and gentle removal of unwanted houseguests!)
What better time to learn about bats and their champions than during the Halloween season? Barbara was a GORP forums guest from October 23 through November 13. Please go to Barbara French - Bat Authority thread in GORP's Conservation Forum. Read Barbara's answers to questions about the best methods, places and times to view bats in your neck of the woods. Find out how you can contribute to the growing movement to protect bats. Discover how bats are beneficial to our environment, and learn the great bat-viewing vacation destinations.
Caring for her own colony of nonreleasable bats and answering questions on behalf of BCI keeps her busy, but Barbara has also found time to co-author a book, Captive Care and Medical Reference for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats. She has written articles, including "Song of the Mexican Free-Tail". Her work includes articles on bats for Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia and on school science content for the National Institute of Education.She has a scientific wildlife rehabilitation permit from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife and provides rehabilitative care for 150 to 200 indigenous bats each year as a volunteer for the Wildlife Rescue Organization in Austin, Texas.
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