Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story

Jojo and her family prepare for their yearly evening bat count at the family barn. Before Jojo’s twin brothers were born, the barn served as a summer maternity roost for bats, but white-nose syndrome has reduced the local population. At nightfall, the family watches for bats leaving the barn and records what they see for scientists studying whether the population can recover. This year, three bats appear: a mother and her twins, echoing the family’s joy over Jojo’s younger brothers.