Today on Stateside, we take a closer look at the toxic spill in the Huron River. Then, two bat rehabilitators discuss the legal challenges of caring for wild animals. Later, Interlochen Public Radio gives us a story about the forest carbon market in Northern Michigan. Plus, we pay tribute to Lamont Dozier, a Mowtown legend who died this week at age 81.
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GUESTS ON TODAY’S SHOW:
- Kelly House, environmental reporter forBridge Michigan
- Sarah, transporter of injured bats
- Laura Simon, urban wildlife biologist with a degree from the Yale School of Forestry, and president of the Connecticut Wildlife Rehab Association
- Patrick Shea, environmental reporter for Interlochen Public Radio
- Ann Delisi, host of Essential Music on WDET
In response to the subject of bat rehabilitation, a representative from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent the following statement:
"In 2012 and again in 2022, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Department of Health and Human Services issued a joint statement that rehabilitation of rabies vector species would pose a significant and unnecessary risk to human health. Rabies is a fatal disease and pre-exposure vaccination is relatively uncommon and expensive. Bats and skunks have an increased likelihood of being infected with rabies in Michigan and direct contact with these species creates opportunities for human infection, which is a serious public health concern. The question has come up as to whether wildlife rehabilitation of bats could help declining bat populations that are suffering from White Nose Syndrome (WNS). Our response is that the rehabilitation of a small number of bats is not going to halt or reverse the population level impacts of WNS on bats and it is not worth the risk to human health."
