Bats of Santa Cruz County

Dedicated bat researcher Bethany Schulze will share her work on these fascinating yet often misunderstood creatures. 

Bats play a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of diverse ecosystems, here and in California and around the world.  Bats are necessary for controlling insect pests, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds, which helps natural habitats and agriculture thrive!  Did you know as many as 17 species of bats live in Santa Cruz County?  Our local bats can be found in a variety of habitats, even over the open ocean!  Come learn more about these amazing creatures, the threats they face, and how you too can help protect our local bats!

Bethany Schulze is the lead for bat projects at the Western Ecological Research Center for U.S. Geological Survey.  Her research projects aim to answer questions about bat migration and roosting ecology of bats in the Western US.  Bethany began studying bats in 2016, transforming her curiosity of bats and love of ecology into passion for a career in research.  She recently completed a master’s thesis on hoary bat and western red bat foraging activity across urban-natural habitat gradients through California State University, Monterey Bay.