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A NEW HOPE TRANSFORMINGA TOURIST SITE SCIENCE & EDUCATION INTHE FIGHT AGAINST WNS? INTO A HIGH-TECH BAT HOUSE PROTECT BATSIN RUSSIA

WWW.BATCO N.ORG SUMMER 2013

BATSBATSBAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL

AA RareRare AmazingAmazing&& AfricanAfrican BatBat THE MEMO from our E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR ‘Kiss Mother Nature Goodbye’

o you remember those signs? In the corridor to Austin are not far off. The sky over Bracken decade or two after the first Earth Day in is still pretty dark, the surrounding lands are open and D 1970, it was common to see “Kiss Mother natural – but not for much longer. We’re in a race to Nature Goodbye” scrawled on large, rural protect as much land as possible around land-for-sale signs and on billboards Bracken Cave and other bat maternity promising that a new housing develop- caves in the Hill Country while there’s ment or shopping mall was coming soon. still a little time. I don’t see that kind of graffiti much Our website has all you need to know anymore, but I’m reminded of it every about the current threat to Bracken (see time some favorite piece of woods or pas- page 15 in this issue of BATS) and the ture is rezoned and put up for sale. Hu- many reasons why a proposed manity’s explosion across the landscape development directly under the nightly in the past six decades and the resultant flight path of 10 to 15 million bats is a loss of thousands of plant and animal species, even bad idea. But this is just the first of many challenges entire ecosystems, is the great environmental tragedy coming at Bracken, and just one example of the pres- of our time. Even climate change is theoretically re- sures bats face in every country of the world. “We can’t versible. But as the other old saying goes: “Extinction ignore Mother Nature. It always has consequences is forever.” when we do,” Texas State Representative Lyle Larson Most of you know by now that Bracken Cave in the said after introducing a bill to promote an ecological Texas Hill Country is under threat. Ten to 15 million study of the Bracken Cave area before approving female Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) further developments. migrate from Mexico and points south every spring to Joni Mitchell warned us in song that we don’t know give birth in Bracken, making it the largest gathering of what we’ve got ’til it’s gone. But with your help and mammals in the world. For perhaps as long as 10,000 that of your family and friends and of many local years, female freetails and their pups have been stream- citizens and concerned public officials, we just might ing out of the cave each night during the spring, summer find out in time – this time. and early fall, taking three to four hours to leave the For more information on Bracken Cave and what cave, then returning each morning. It’s a ritual that pre- you can do to help preserve it for future generations of dates the invention of agriculture, cities and civilization. bats and people, please visit Now the lights of San Antonio and the Interstate 35 www.batcon.org/savebracken

Andrew B. Walker Executive Director P.O. Box 162603, Austin, Texas 78716 BATS (512) 327-9721 fax: (512) 327-9724 Volume 31, No. 2, s u m m E r 2 0 1 3

P uBlicAtions s tA f f Director of Publications: Robert Locke Photo Editor: Meera Banta FEATURES Graphic Artist: Jason Huerta Copyeditors: Angela England, Valerie Locke BATS welcomes queries from writers. Send your article proposal The Memo from our with a brief outline and a description of any photos to: Executive Director [email protected]. Members: Please send changes of address and all cor res pondence to the address above or via email to 2 The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend [email protected] . Please include your label, if possible, and A new hope in the battle against WNS? allow six weeks for the change of address. by Chris Cornelison Founder: Dr. Merlin D. Tuttle E x E c u t i v E D i r E c to r : Andrew B. Walker Protecting Endangered Species B oA r D o f D i r E c to r s : Walter C. Sedgwick, Chair by Katie Gillies Dr. Cullen Geiselman, Vice Chair Anne-Louise Band, Secretary 6 Grassroots Help for Russia’s Sandy Read, Treasurer Danielle Gustafson; Dr. John Hayes; C. Andrew Marcus; Forgotten Bats Bettina Mathis; Dr. Gary F. McCracken; John D. Citizen science and education push conservation Mitchell; Steven P. Quarles; Wes Sechrest; Susan Wallace; Joe Walston; Joseph Zillo. by Igor Prokofev Honorary Directors: Sharon R. Forsyth; Elizabeth Ames Jones; Travis Mathis; Wilhelmina Robertson; William 9 Flying Foxes Rebuild Madagascar’s Scanlan, Jr. Tattered Forests s c i E n c E A Dv i s o ry c o m m i t t E E : Dr. Gary McCracken (Board Liaison), Dr. Kate Jones, Do seeds do better when they pass through bats? Dr. Thomas H. Kunz, Dr. Tigga Kingston, Dr. Rodrigo by Ryszard Oleksy Medellín, Dr. Paul Racey, Dr. Charles Rupprecht. BCI Science Panel Dr. Leslie S. Hall, Dr. Greg Richards, Australia; Dr. Jiri 14 An Unusual Home for Mother Bats Gaisler, Czech Republic; Dr. Arnulfo Moreno-Valdez, Remodeling a tourist site for bats, educators and scientists Mexico; Dr. Herman Limpens, Netherlands; Dr. Armando Rodriguez-Duran, Puerto Rico; Dr. Shahroukh Mistry, by Steven Thomas United States; Dr. José R. Ochoa, Venezuela. Membership Manager: Amy McCartney BATS (ISSN 1049-0043) is published quarterly by Bat NEWS & NOTES Con ser vation International, Inc., a nonprofit corporation supported by tax-deductible contributions used for public education, research and conservation of bats and the ecosystems 18 A new chance for the Philippine bare-backed fruit bat that depend on them. An amazing African bat © Bat Conser vation International, 2013. All rights reserved. Bat Conservation International’s mission is to conserve the Teens for bats world’s bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet. BCI Member Snapshot A subscription to BATS is included with BCI membership: Senior, Student or Educator $30; Basic $35; Friends of BCI The Wish List $45; Supporting $60; Contributing $100; Patron $250; Sus- taining $500; Leader Circle $1,000. Third-class postage paid at Austin, Texas. Send address changes to Bat Conser vation In- ternational, P.O. Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716.

COVER PHOTO: The pied bat of central and west Africa is one of the world’s most unusual-looking bats. It’s also one of the least studied and most rarely seen. But two teams of scientists encountered this little bat this year. See page 19. Facebook.com/batcon Twitter.com/BatConIntl PHOTO COuRTEsy Of BuCknEll unIVERsITy/dEEAnn REEdER TTHEHE EENEMYNEMY OF OF MY MY EENEMYNEMY ISIS MY MY FFRIENDRIEND AA newnew hopehope inin thethe battlebattle againstagainst WNS?WNS? courtesy of Kyle Gabriel

Graduate student Chris Cornelison, a microbiologist at Georgia State by Chris Cornelison University, works in the lab during his search for biological agents that might combat White-nose Syndrome.

or the past six years, the “silver bullet” sought by related to G. destructans. So we obtained samples of the G. de- scientists battling White-nose Syndrome has structans fungus from Kevin Keel (then at the University of been an ecologically acceptable tool for destroy- Georgia and now at the University of California, Davis) to ex- ing For disabling the fungus, which causes plore our bacterium’s anti- abilities. Geomyces destructans Geomyces this scourge that is killing millions of bats. But the search has The initial test results were astonishing. been frustrating. While some chemical fungicides will kill the The cold-loving fungus attacks by sending out branching fungus, their use would likely devastate complex cave ecosys- structures called hyphae that invade the bats’ tissue, especially tems and could contaminate water supplies. the wings. G. destructans grows best at about 41 to 50 degrees Several teams, including ours, are exploring another, poten- Fahrenheit (5º to 10º Celsius) and essentially stops growing, be- tially more benign, option: biological agents. Now initial results coming dormant, at 68º F (20º C). We demonstrated that R. from our research at Georgia State University suggest we have rhodochrous bacteria completely blocked germination of G. de- found a very promising candidate: a natural bacterium that in structans spores at 59º F (15º C) and strongly inhibited growth the lab is able to inhibit the fungus without actually touching and reproduction at 39º F (5º C). the bats or the cave. More research is required to confirm this This was the first demonstration of biological antagonism approach, but the evidence suggests we may be able to save bats to G. destructans, and we were eager to explore this potentially and spare the caves. revolutionary tool for combating WNS. I nearly gave up, how- My microbiology colleagues and I decided to tackle this ever, when I was unable to secure funding for the project, part problem after the national WNS Response Plan, published in of my work toward a Ph.D. Luckily, I applied for and received May 2011, gave significant attention to developing biological a grant from Bat Conservation International’s WNS Program. and chemical control options. We soon noticed some intriguing So I initiated an experiment with Kevin Keel to determine activities exhibited by the bacterium Rhodococcus rhodochrous whether Rhodococcus can prevent the WNS fungus from colo- strain DAP 96253. nizing bat tissue. Rather than sacrificing a number of bats by Our initial investigation found that the bacterium, when exposing living animals to the fungus and bacterium, we used cultivated under very specific conditions (U.S.P. 7,943,549), a groundbreaking technique developed by Keel to maintain dis- could inhibit the growth of two Geomyces species that are closely embodied bat-wing tissue culture in the laboratory.

BATS 2 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 We demonstrated the ability of Rhodococcus to prevent the This was a vital step toward practical application, since it colonization of bat-wing tissue by G. destructans spores for more shows that we may have a control agent that can be mass pro- than 40 days. The Rhodococcus was placed in close proximity to, duced, applied without any form of growth medium and pro- but was not touching, the tissue and the fungus. vide long-term inhibition of G. destructans spores at 39° F (4° Our initial inquiry into the mechanism of the antagonism C). And it works without being in direct contact with the bats, began with a simple question: does the contact-independent an- the cave environment or the fungus. tagonism affect spore germination, mycelial elongation or both? The simplicity and efficacy of this microbial antagonism are Next, a few simple experiments and some basic microscopy not really surprising. The co-evolution of soil-associated fungi, indicated that Rhodococcus completely and permanently inhibits such as Geomyces, and bacteria, such as Rhodococcus, lends itself spore germination (i.e., prevents it from sprouting) and signif- to these natural antagonisms: these organisms have been waging icantly slows the growth of the tentacle-like hyphae. Since pre- war in a complex environment for billions of years. Humans are vious studies have shown the spores to be the primary infectious unlikely to devise a more effective weapon than what the natural agent of G. destructans, these results suggest that Rhodococcus competitors of Geomyces have evolved over eons of open can prevent the initial colonization of healthy bats, and also slow hostilities. progression of the disease in already-infected bats – and increase Other biocontrol approaches would require microbes to be their chance of survival. applied directly to the bats or the cave walls or soil. Our research Using protocols developed by previous Georgia State indicates that the fermented Rhodococcus paste requires no direct University researchers, we grew Rhodococcus bacteria in 8-gallon contact with the bats or the cave. It could, for example, be in- (30-liter) fermentation vessels under conditions that activated troduced on plastic sheets placed near hibernating bats. When its anti-Geomyces activity. Bacteria in the resulting “cell paste” bats are no longer at risk (typically in spring and summer), the no longer grow, but they nonetheless prevented germination of bacteria could simply be removed. G. destructans spores for more than 80 days (at the time this Despite the exciting possibilities demonstrated by our re- article was written). search results, several important questions must still be answered

Protecting Endangered Species

by Katie Gillies

Katie Gillies, who leads BCI’s Imperiled Species Program, examines a cypress tree cavity to determine whether bats are using it as a roost. © Katie Gillies, bci / 0048303

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Endangered and protect significant cave roosts were critical in what was, until Species Act of 1973, a momentous milestone for wildlife conser- recently, an extremely promising recovery for the species. vation. When we think of endangered species, most of us picture The Indiana myotis (M. sodalis) became officially endangered such animals as gray wolves, grizzly bears or California condors in 1967 (under the less-effective Endangered Species Preservation – the movie stars of the environmental movement. But as Coor- Act of 1966). Efforts to protect these bats from disturbance and dinator of BCI’s Imperiled Species Program, my focus is on our to restore altered hibernation caves had sharply reduced popula- threatened and endangered bats, which rarely reach the spotlight. tion declines across the species’ range. This year, however, bats are moving toward center stage. The lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae), a mi- Four bat species and three subspecies are currently listed as gratory, nectar-eating species that is an important pollinator in threatened or endangered under the ESA. The gray myotis (My- the Southwestern United States and Mexico, has been protected otis grisescens) has been listed as endangered since 1976. BCI for 25 years. We are finding many more lesser long-nosed bats played a pivotal role in the listing process. Our efforts to identify across the landscape now than in the past. Continued on page 4

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 3 BATS AB c

courtesy of chris cornelison This experiment demonstrates the potential of the R. rhodochrous bacterium to inhibit the growth of spores of the Geomyces destructans fungus that causes WNS. The first dish (A) shows spore growth after 21 days without the bacteria. Spores grew in Dish B with bacteria that were not activated (“induced”) through a fermentation process. But in Dish C, induced bacteria completely inhibited spore growth after 21 days. before we can put this potential tool to work. We must, of in the field. course, assess any impacts to the bats and to cave ecosystems Early results are promising and provide optimism that the and organisms, then conduct small field trials before wide-scale Rhodococcus control agent will give wildlife-management agen- application is feasible or ecologically responsible. cies a potent new tool to prevent the spread of WNS and begin We are currently working on a simple model of the my- the re-colonization of hibernacula that have been devastated by coflora of North American caves and are investigating their re- this disease. silience to our biological control agent. We are also collaborating with federal wildlife biologists and toxicologists to determine CHRIS CORNELISON is a Ph.D. candidate in Applied and any potential impacts to bats before testing our control agent Environmental Microbiology, Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Concerted, science-based conservation efforts produced dramatic results in reviving our endangered bat species – until 2007, when a horrific new threat emerged among North American bats: White-nose Syndrome. This wildlife disease has killed more than 5.7 million bats in eastern North America in just 6 years. Indiana myotis are among its early vic- tims, and WNS was confirmed last year in gray myotis, although no fatalities have been reported as yet. All told, nine bat species have been confirmed with the disease or the fungus that causes it. Up to 25 species of hibernating bats are at risk across North America. Three new bat species are being reviewed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for listing under the Endangered Species Act after being decimated by WNS. The eastern small- footed myotis (M. leibii) and the northern myotis (M. septentrionalis) are in the status review process. The little brown myotis (M. lucifugus), once considered among the most common bats in the United States, is being considered for an emergency listing. All three species have seen population declines of 90 percent or more in WNS-impacted regions. BCI is working with the Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies and others to facilitate the process. We will continue working with our partners to ensure that aggressive protection and recovery measures are identified and implemented. © merlin d. tuttle, bci / 8174104 As a conservation biologist, I certainly appreciate the benefits that a federal listing of Threatened or Endangered provides for imperiled species. But there are also benefits to de-listing a species when recovery efforts succeed. Lesser long-nosed bat With decreased budgets and increased candidates for listing, the USFWS has a long backlog of species under review. This can create an illusion that the Endangered Species Act is ineffective. Nothing could be further from the truth, but those opposed to the regulations and protections of the vital act are working hard to discredit it. So formally de-listing a species that once faced an imminent risk of extinction but is now reasonably secure, is an important goal. When the lesser long-nosed bat was listed in 1988, biologists estimated that only about 500 of the bats existed in the United States. Since then, biologists have identified several new roost sites. An exit count at a single roost in 2012 reported almost 19,000 lesser long-nosed bats on a single night. With this new information, we can review the recovery objectives and determine if the listing is still warranted. If scientific research indicates that this species is now at sustainable levels, we will work to de-list the lesser long-nosed bat. It’s important to showcase our successes. We all prefer a happy ending, especially when the underdog is a bat that beats the odds.

BATS 4 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 mAking A DiffErEncE Our Donors Make it Happen Bat Conservation International is protecting bats and their habitats around the world thanks to the generosity of our dedicated members and friends. We are expanding our conservation impact around the world, and we couldn’t do it without your help. We salute our friends and supporters. These friends gave their support (donations of $250 to $999) between January 1 and March 31, 2013. Thank you.

Carolyn Amy Frank Graninger Sy Montgomery Paul Barby Dr. & Mrs. Donald Grayson Douglas & Susan Morrison John Bassett, Ph.D. Anne Greene Teresa Ohmit D. S. Berenson Don Gruber Christine Pasun Susan Billetdeaux Brad Klein & Danielle Gustafson Robert Paul Caroline Bissell Stephany & Thomas Haines Sue Payne Hannah Blum Bruce Halle Richard Pollak Jeff & Freya Bowen Jonathan Hand Jeffry Powell Mr. & Mrs. Victor Bradford Tony Handlon May Raynolds Carla Brenner Rob Hardy, M.D. Kevin Reak Monica Briess Rebecca Hayes Arthur M. & Suzanne Reed Lawrence Broch Ian Hays Elizabeth Richter Jerri Brown Alan Hewett Mr. & Mrs. William Ruhling, Jr. Ellen Burmeister William Hope, M.D. Donald Ruzin William Burrows Inga Horton Chris Sanders Melissa Carp Debby Siegele & Jim Hu Sandy Scholar March Cavanaugh Jeff Huebschman Eleanor Schwartz James & Judy Cavender, III Katheryne Igo Mr. & Mrs. Tom Scribner Richard Chambers Heidi Ihrke Vera Sevrouk David & Cindy Cochran John Talbot & Nora Iversen Henry Shaw David Cohn Michael Karapetian Kevin Sheridan Joanna-Louise Coleman Kay Family Melanie Winters & Andrew Singer Peter Compo Charles Keenan Arthur Slater George Covington Ray King Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Steves, Jr. Claire Cowden Kathryn Lee Kirkland, M.D. Jonathan Stillerman, Ph.D. Cathy Burnell & Gerald Craddock, Jr. Elysabeth Kleinhans Gillian Teichert Ron Croniser Ann Grove & Wayne Kocher Donna Thalacker Robert & Beverly Danielson Robert Kopf, Jr. Marcia Thomas Geoffrey Davis Ellen Kurtz Kathryn Hunter & David Thomforde Cal DeRemer Tillie Page Laird Jack Tobias Barbara Dickinson Annette Larson Carol Todd Daniel Donovan Anna Lawson Sally Tongren Howard Dudley Scott & Joy Linn Justin & Emily Top Lydia Edison Dana Shuster & Marilyn Litt Darby Townsend Mr. & Mrs. James Elliott Jan Lower Joyce B. & Leonard Tufts Alan Ernst Daniel MacEachron Polly & Frank Vecchione Barbara Fanta Pamela Maher Teresa Victor Edward Firestone Jacqueline Mars Susan Walker S. E. Fisher Michael McDaniel LaDonna Ward Robert Florand Beverly Wolcott & Louis McLove George Bailey & Porter Watkins Sandra Flores Mimi McMillen Juliandra Watt Cindy Floyd Lori Menachof Michael Willson Awato Fujino Marie Messina Eleanor Wootten Christian Gainsley Ann & Richard Miller Mary Beth Wright Barbara Garwood Robert Miller John Zendt Patricia & Frederick Graboske Susannah Miller

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 5 BATS GRASSROOTS HELP FOR RUSSIA’S FORGOTTEN BATS

Citizen science and education push conservation

by Igor Prokofev

Russian schoolchildren celebrate the first Festival of Bats in Bryansk by courtesy of iGor ProKofev waving their arms in an imitation of the flying mammals that traditionally have been largely ignored by conservationists in the country.

he youngsters, some to grasslands (steppes). The wearing elaborate area has been identified as bat costumes, waved one of the most important their armsT as part of a playful demonstra- breeding and foraging areas tion of how bats can fly. These school- for a number of Russian children are members of a new Bat bat species. Friends Club at their school in Bryansk But forested habitat has in western Russia, and this was their first- been lost at an alarming ever Festival of Bats. The festivities were rate for many decades in remarkable for a country where bats are western Russia, and that

largely ignored, and not just by the pub- courtesy of iGor ProKofev loss was exacerbated during lic, but by most conservationists as well. Members of a school’s Bat Friends Club examine the summer of 2010 by a Grassroots Alliance Peresvet, a non- posters, brochures and other information about bats series of devastating forest profit organization that I founded to deal as part of a concerted outreach effort by Grassroots fires. Although scientific with community issues and especially Alliance Peresvet. The project was supported by a BCI data are generally scarce, threats to biodiversity, is working to Global Grassroots Conservation Fund grant. the number and diversity build a sustainable bat-conservation of bat populations seem to movement in western Russia by combining citizen science with be declining throughout the region. There is virtually no extensive public education and training. We are supported in information on key bat-conservation threats and no sustained part by a Global Grassroots Conservation Fund grant from Bat monitoring or protection for bats. Conservation International. Our goal is to build a multifaceted approach to increase Our teams are working in four regions near Russia’s western knowledge about bat populations, habitats and conservation border: Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk and Orel, with a total area of status, build public awareness about the importance of bats and about 55,750 square miles (145,000 square kilometers). Habi- the need to protect them, and empower local communities and tats range from coniferous forests to broadleaf and mixed forests volunteers to monitor and conserve these animals. This is a pilot

BATS 6 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 project that we hope eventually to apply across much of the country. The centerpiece of our effort is iBats, a citizen-science program developed in the United Kingdom by Bat Conservation Trust and the Zoological Society of London. With their support and assistance, this automobile-based acoustic-monitoring program has spread to at least 17 countries. iBats Russia is filling major gaps in knowledge about the distribution of bats in our study area and establishing a baseline that will allow continuing monitoring to assess the conservation status of these important bat populations. And through iBats, we are creating a corps of trained, local volunteers who are dedicated to conserving Russia’s bats. Our scientific and educational results thus far encourage us to expand iBats into other regions of western Russia. We conducted a series of community presentations around our study area to stir interest in the project and recruit volunteers. This was followed by a training workshop in bat ecology, monitoring equipment and methodology for the community members and farmers who signed on to organize and conduct the monitoring program. We mapped specific monitoring routes (or transects), each covering about 25 miles (40 kilometers) of roadway. Each courtesy of iGor ProKofev volunteer’s car was equipped with a time-expansion bat de- Volunteer Alexander Gorbachev explains the ecological benefits of tector, which collects, digitizes and stores bat calls, and a GPS bats and the myths that surround them to students as part of device to accurately locate bats’ ultrasonic echolocation calls. Grassroots Alliance Peresvet’s education campaign. From May through September, volunteers set out 30 to 45 minutes after sunset, then drove at a constant 15 miles per volunteers participated. hour (25 km/hour) for about 25 miles (40 kilometers) along The sound files, each one to two hours in length, were the prescribed route, collecting bat calls as they went. About 50 collected from the bat detectors, then processed it into manage- able five-minute segments. We are analyzing those files with appropriate computer software, including iBatsID, which was recently developed by the Zoological Society of London. During the first six months of monitoring, we collected a total of 50 hours of recordings, representing

courtesy of aboutiGor ProKofev 800 individual calls, from 30 transects. All 11 bat species known to occur in the region were recorded, and we have used our data to create an echolocation-call library that identifies unique call characteristics of each species. Our data are dramatically improving scientific knowledge about the distribution of these bats, and as the monitoring continues, we will prepare new range maps and identify areas with high bat diversity and serious threats to conservation. Also during this period, we took our education efforts around the region, reaching more than 1,200 A volunteer prepares to collect bats’ echolocation calls by installing a bat detector on the window of her car. She is part of the iBats Russia effort to gather information about the diversity and distribution of bats in western Russia.

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 7 BATS courtesy of iGor ProKofev Among 11 bat species identified in Grassroots Alliance Peresvet’s project area was the serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus), such as the bat displayed here by one of the program’s many volunteers.

people who now have a rather different view of bats. We created decided to do something about it and became a Bat Keeper. posters, banners and brochures that describe the benefits of Rus- Now she and her students monitor the bats that roost around sia’s bats, especially their value for pest control, and the threats the village, make and install bat houses for them and protect they face. We developed and distributed educational materials the old-growth trees where bats like to roost. for use in classrooms and visited schools to encourage Bat In the Bryansk region, meanwhile, we helped community Friends Clubs. volunteers prepare two model “bat-friendly gardens,” lovely We organized and led bat walks, lectures and other activities, parklands with bat-accessible water features, plants that attract including a rare Russian celebration of European Bat Night, and insects for bats to eat, bat houses for roosting and other features conducted workshops to teach leaders of local groups the basics favored by flying mammals. of bat biology and conservation. Protecting the forgotten bats of Russia is a huge task, and We also introduced the concept of “Bat Keepers” – trained our work has only begun. But we have found that bats have community volunteers dedicated to protecting the bats in their more friends in our region than we had suspected, and many areas. One of the first Bat Keepers is Natalia Koriagina, a geog- more people seem quite willing to change long-held attitudes, raphy teacher in a rural school in the village of Domashovo. She acknowledge the benefits of bats and help to conserve them. first saw and heard bats (with the help of a bat detector) during We move into the future with a new optimism. the iBats Russia survey. She was delighted to learn that bats are not only harmless but extremely beneficial and that many IGOR PROKOFEV is the founder and coordinator of Grassroots people were unreasonably afraid of the flying mammals. She Alliance Peresvet.

BATS 8 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 FLYING FOXES REBUILD MADAGASCAR’S TATTERED FORESTS

Do seeds do better when they pass through bats? courtesy of ryszard oleKsy

by Ryszard Oleksy

The Madagascan flying fox plays a crucial role in restoring cleared and damaged forests.

he island of Madagascar is losing its forests beleaguered bats. at a perilous pace, as vast areas are cleared After two years of research, with support from BCI Student for timber, charcoal production and agri- Research Scholarships, my results with bats carrying GPS tags culture.T The loss of these natural ecosystems threatens not only demonstrate the importance of these bats as long-range seed dis- the nation’s remarkably diverse and often unique wildlife, but persers. And a series of experiments designed to simulate natural also the well-being of its human residents, who depend on the conditions finds that bat-processed seeds – those that are eaten resources of their forests. Little is being done officially to reverse by bats, pass through the gut and are dispersed in droppings – this trend. are significantly more likely to germinate than seeds that come Yet nature provides a powerful tool for helping to regenerate directly from fruit. fragmented forests. Fruit bats, which feed on the fruits of many More details will emerge as I continue analyzing data to plants, as well as the leaves, pollen and nectar, scatter the seeds complete my Ph.D. research. The study is being conducted in over wide areas, notably including cleared lands. At least 300 collaboration with Berenty Private Reserve, where a large Mada- plant species are known to rely on Old World fruit bats for seed gascan flying fox roost is found in the remaining gallery forest. dispersal. A few previous studies suggest that passage through a bat’s The Madagascan flying fox (Pteropus rufus) is potentially a gut may improve seeds’ germination (sprouting) rates, but clear critical seed disperser in Madagascar, an island of some 228,000 conclusions have been elusive. I tested this hypothesis by exper- square miles (590,000 square kilometers) off southeastern imentally comparing the germination success of seeds taken Africa. But this important species, found only on Madagascar, from bat feces with those from ripe fruit, under progressively is listed as Vulnerable by IUCN because of sharply declining more natural conditions. populations. The flying foxes have virtually no legal protection We tested a total of 2,400 seeds of fig trees (Ficus grevei) that and are, in fact, listed as a game animal under Malagasy law. are found only on Madagascar. The seeds were distributed in They are hunted and persecuted throughout the island. 120 Petri dishes, 20 seeds per dish, under three different condi- Reliable information about the Madagascan flying fox and tions. Both seeds extracted from bat droppings and unprocessed its contributions to restoring damaged forests should, I hope, seeds taken from fresh fruits were grown on plain filter paper; convince local people and government officials to protect these on soil that was treated to remove any organisms; and on un-

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 9 BATS treated soil. The dishes were arranged randomly on a shaded, tree” – one that will initiate its germination on the bark of an- outdoor table and watered on the same schedule. other tree, and then gradually send its roots to the ground. Dis- By far the most dramatic effect was among seeds grown on persal by flying bats increases the opportunities for seeds to be paper, without a soil substrate. Among bat-processed seeds, an deposited on other trees, and the residual manure provides a average of 11.7 seeds (out of 20) germinated in each Petri dish. good start for germination. Therefore, the soil-substrate exper- Seeds extracted from ripe fruits showed a germinate average of iment may not be relevant to the ecology of this plant. only 3.3 per dish. Statistical analysis showed this to be a highly We also sowed sets of processed and unprocessed seeds on significant impact. the ground, fully exposed to the environment. We found no This difference might be caused by small amounts of feces successful germination among these seeds, most of which were that likely remain on the processed seeds and act as fertilizer to carried away by ants. But the ants may, in fact, help disperse promote germination. Considering that bats defecate in flight seeds from accumulated bat droppings. They may take seeds to and scatter seeds not only on the ground but also on vegetation, their nests, which provide anchorage and a moist and nutrient- bits of manure around the seeds may very well increase the rich environment. chances for germination and seedling establishment. Gauging the Madagascan flying fox’s ability to distribute We also sterilized some seeds with an ethanol solution to seeds around the landscape requires knowledge of “gut retention prevent fungal or bacterial infection. Bat-processed seeds had time” – how long it takes from when a bat eats the fruit until slightly less germination success when sterilized, while un- the seeds are expelled in droppings. processed seeds showed a sharp increase, indicating that We captured nine bats and kept them in individual cages for processed and unprocessed seeds respond differently to sterili- three nights. The bats usually refused to eat during the first zation. The reason for this response is not yet clear, but it indi- night. Beginning on the second night, each bat was given about cates that bat-processed seeds undergo substantial changes while seven ounces (200 grams) of sliced bananas. Some contained passing through a bat’s gut. seeds from ripe fig fruits, while others were left plain as a con- We found no significant differences in germination of seeds trol. Food consumption and droppings were recorded every 30 sown on the soil treatments or between bat-processed and un- minutes, and the seeds contained in droppings were counted. processed seeds in treated soil. Generally, germination success The bats were released on the fourth night. on the soil treatments was lower than on filter paper. Seed-transit times are usually quite short, less than 30 min- Part of the explanation may be that Ficus grevei is a “strangler utes, but some seeds were occasionally retained in the gut for

Photos courtesy of ryszard oleKsy Fruits of the fig tree Ficus grevei (left photo) are an important part of the Madagascan flying foxes’ diet. The bats reciprocate by dispersing the seeds across the landscape, which the author demonstrated by tracking bats that were tagged with small GPS locators (right).

BATS 10 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 24 hours or more. Bats generally disperse most seeds within species for introducing new trees into open areas and small for- about three hours after eating, but smaller numbers of seeds est patches that would rarely attract other frugivores. Thus, this may be retained much longer. initial growth may provide new feeding grounds for other fruit- We also attached GPS tags on 18 flying foxes to track their eating mammals and birds, which then add their own contri- travels during nighttime foraging. Only bats that weighed at butions to the regrowth of damaged forests. least 1.3 pounds (600 grams) were tagged, which involved glu- In this way, my results suggest, Madagascan flying foxes may ing the device to a shaved area of skin on the bat’s back. We col- serve as “stepping stones” that begin the forest-regeneration lected a total of 101 nights of data from 15 bats. The other three process and attract other seed-dispersing animals to build on either lost their tags or could not be located. We excluded the that foundation to protect wildlife biodiversity and the eco- first night after tag-attachment from our analysis, leaving 86 nomic health of local people. nights of data. The tags recorded each bat’s location at 2.5- minute intervals from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. RYSZARD OLEKSY is a graduate student working toward a This effort produced a great deal of data on bat movements Ph.D. from the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, and habitat preferences. The home range of the whole tracked in the United Kingdom. population was mainly composed of endemic “spiny forest,” but these semiarid areas provide very few feeding options. Thus the bats focused their foraging on both working and overgrown sisal plantations and on small, remnant patches of native forests along a river. Sisal is a succulent agave species, orig- inally imported from the New World, that yields a fiber used in twine, ropes and other products. The plantations offer easy access to pollen and nectar year round. Gallery forests, the most natural and productive habitat available in the area, were a strong second choice for far-flung seed dispersal foraging, with an abun- dance of fruiting This diagram shows a single night of foraging and seed tamarind trees and dispersal by one Madagascan flying fox, logged as “Bat 2405,” some large fig trees that was tagged with a GPS locator. The bat covered more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) across varied landscapes from that provide food re- its roost at the far left. It fed at three separate fig trees, then sources during the scattered their seeds all along the route, which included a dry season. stop at an old sisal plantation. We found that a bat can travel as far as six miles (10 kilometers) from a feeding site in just 12 minutes – with a maximum in our study of almost 12 miles (19 kilometers) in 84 minutes. And we documented that a single bat can, in one night, disperse seeds from three fig trees in three different directions. Clearly, the Madagascan flying fox is an extremely efficient long- distance seed disperser. The GPS data indicate these bats frequently crossed cleared areas and agri- cultural fields. Considering their ability to disperse seeds while flying and the germination advantage of bat-processed seeds, bats may well be key

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 11 BATS mAking A DiffErEncE Foundations, Corporations & Agencies Many of BCI’s most valued partners are corporations and government agencies, and they, along with foundations, also provide key donations and grants that make our conservation successes possible. Thanks to these who helped from April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013 – and to all of BCI’s supporters. Together, we make it work. $10,000 and above Foundation, Inc. AT&T United Way Employee American Wind Energy Association Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Giving Campaign Anonymous (3) Bacardi-Martini, Inc. Bank of America United Way Campaign Arizona Game and Fish Dept. Boeckman Family Foundation Blackrock Matching Gift Program Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund Central Coast Bat Research Group BP Foundation, Inc. Benjamin Moore & Co. FanFueled The Cambia Employee Giving Campaign BP Corporation North America Inc. Freetail Brewing Company Chevron Humankind Employees Bass Foundation Grace Jones Richardson Trust Giving Campaign The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston Grand Valley State University Citgo Petroleum Corporation The Coypu Foundation Green Hotels Association City of Seattle Department of Defense - Legacy Program Grindcore Coffee House LLC Coinstar Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Howell Archaeological Services Community Shares of Minnesota ESRI The Lawrence & Sylvia Wong Campaign Management Evergreen II Fund Foundation, Inc. EarthShare First Wind Energy, LLC Lawrence E. Irell & EarthShare of Texas Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Elaine Smith Irell Foundation Educational Test Service Iberdrola Renewables Monomoy Fund Employees Charity Organization of Invenergy, LLC Moody Gardens Northrop Grumman JDD Holdings, LLC Paragon Enterprises, LLC Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund The Leo Model Foundation, Inc. Robert P. Rotella Foundation FINRA MAP Royalty Taipei Zoo GE Foundation National Renewable Energy Laboratory TechSoup Microsoft GE United Way Campaign New-Land Foundation Texas A&M University College of GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Pinnacle Wind, LLC Agriculture and Life Science Goldman, Sachs & Co. The Rufford Foundation U.S. Department of Energy Google SeaWorld & Busch Gardens U.S. Department of the Interior Hachette Book Group, USA Shared Earth Foundation USDA Forest Service Halliburton Giving Choices U.S. Bureau of Land Management USDI Bureau of Land Management, Heart of Florida United Way, Inc. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ely District Office Hewlett-Packard Employee U.S. Forest Service International Programs USDI Geological Survey Charitable Giving Program U-Save Auto Rental Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Hospira Employee Giving/Matching Gift USDA Forest Service (Region 3) Woodland Park Zoological Society IBM Corporation - Matching Gifts Program West Star Foundation $500 - $999 Illinois Housing Development Authority Admin. Fund White Pine Fund 2002 Philanthropic Fund EK of ING Wiancko Charitable Foundation, Inc. The Jewish Community Fdn. JPMorgan Chase Foundation – Matching Woodtiger Fund AAZK - Lake Superior Zoo Chapter Gift & Volunteer Program Alamo Drafthouse, LTD $5.000 - $9,999 Kraft Foods Foundation Matching Alexander Abraham Foundation American Wind Wildlife Institute Gifts Program Arizona Community Foundation Capital One Services, LLC Macy's Foundation The Boston Foundation Edward Gorey Charitable Trust McKesson Foundation Inc. Cave Research Foundation The Field Museum (of Natural History) MGM Resorts Foundation Cleveland Metroparks Zoo K H Dominion Foundation Microsoft Giving Campaign Corbis Corporation Katz Coffee Morgan Stanley Edge of the Wild Merice ‘Boo’ Johnson Grigsby Foundation New York Life Giving Campaign ING The Negaunee Foundation Pfizer Foundation Inner Space Cavern Network for Good The Progressive Insurance Foundation Lone Star Riverboat Singing Field Foundation Truist Seneca Caverns Texas Parks and Wildlife United Technologies Wells Fargo Philanthropy Fund The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation United Way of Central New Mexico USDA Forest Service (Region 8) Matching Gifts & Workplace Giving United Way of Dane County Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. Adobe Systems Inc. Matching Gifts Program United Way of New York City $1,000 - $4,999 Alliant Energy Foundation, Inc. Verizon Foundation AAZK - Galveston Chapter American Express Co. – Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign Adele M. Thomas Charitable Employee Giving Campaign Zynga

BATS 12 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 mAking A DiffErEncE Individual & Family Donors Bats face lethal threats throughout the world. But thanks to your support, BCI is working tirelessly around the globe to ensure that our children and grandchildren will reap the ecological and economic benefits of bats for years to come. We offer our heartfelt thanks to these individuals and families who donated $1,000 or more during the 12 months that ended March 31, 2013. Thank you. $10,000 and Above Michele Finley Andrea Miller Anonymous Judy & Arnie Fishman Lucile Miller Iris Bernikow Jennifer & Parnell Flynn David Mitchell Cullen Geiselman Cornelia Ford Ruth Moore William Mayo Susan Fredericks Mr. & Mrs. Edmund Morgan Leonard Frost Eileen & Lawrence Moyer $5,000 - $9,999 Sheila Wallace & Gary M. Gabris Elise Murray Jerolyn Coen John Gard Kris Knoernschild & Mark Murzin Maggie Jones Avril Gardner Dennis Myers, D.D.S. Anne Pattee Mike & Anne Germain Daniel Neal Terry & Bill Pelster Martin & Susan Giesecke Mr. & Mrs. John Newman Nicolette Reim Maus Marj Lundy & James Godshalk Heidi Nitze Walter & Jeanne Sedgwick Robert Gordon David O'Donahoe & Diane Pienta Nicholas Skinner Bert Grantges Virginia Ogle Brad and Shelli Stanback Ray Groover, Jr. Peter Pawlowski Karen Van Dusen Amy Grose Cynthia G. Vann & Charles R. Pease, Jr. Anne Gunn George & Sharon Perry $1,000 - $4,999 Derek Hargis, M.D. Christine Proctor Michael Adami-Sampson Ann Harvey Ann & Stephen D. Ramsey Haldis Adams Craig Hester Margo Reid Mr. & Mrs. John Alexander George (Tim) & Karen Hixon Peter & Sara E. Ribbens Mark Anderson, Ph.D. Trista Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. L. George Rieger Robin Anderson, D.V.M. Debby Siegele & Jim Hu Jane Riggs Anonymous (2) David Williams & Kimberley Hunt Carolyn Rizza Mr. & Mrs. Robert Anue Jo Korth Jagoda David Robbins Doris Applebaum Gwen Brewer & George Jett Beth Robertson Ann Bacon Wanda John Rebecca Schad Stephen Barlow Judith Joy Miriam & Tom Schulman Hugo Barreca Derry & Charlene Kabcenell Judith Schultz Sandra Berglund Elizabeth Kempski Evan Shack Michael Bodri Suzanne Neumann & Andrew Kimmel Kay Sibary & Robert (Buck) Shaw Mrs. Duncan Boeckman Mr. & Mrs. Ray W. King Ron Sion Louis Brandt Elysabeth Kleinhans Mary Smith Erica Brendel Wilfred Konneker Wes Smith Cheryl Teuton & John Brooke Jane & Bill Lacy K. Rene Smith Staff & George M. Staff Jane & Marshall Brown Vega Lalire Fred & Alice Stanback, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Howard Burt Joanna Langdale Ann Stokes Patricia Butenis Delman & Frankie Law Joseph Szewczak Jo Carlton, U.S.N., Ret. Lee Lenz, Ph.D. Paula Szortyka Candace Carroll Liza Levy, M.D. Dick & Linda Taylor Robert Coffland Chris & Gary Linden Jaimie Trautman Stewart Corn Ed Littlefield, Jr. Janet Tyburec Georgia Dela Cruz, D.M.D. John Logan Suzanne Ullrich Larry deNeveu Leonard & Linda Lombardi William Vanderson Mr. & Mrs. W. F. Dingus Katherine Longshore Ursula Vernon Glenna Dowling Maggie C. Brandt & Albert W. Lyons Cynthia Wayburn Sylvia Earle, Ph.D. Barbara Malizia Laura Welsh Frank Eliot, Ph.D. Adrienne Mars Laurie West Anne Everly Cherie & Ken Mason Daniel & Barbara Williams Bruce & Mary Feay Mike Schaeffer & Michelle Maton Melissa Williams H. Rugeley Ferguson Julie Mattox Brad Wuest Dee Ann Fifer Peggy & Lowry Mays Beverly Young

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 13 BATS AANN UUNUSUALNUSUAL HHOMEOME FORFOR MMOTHEROTHER BBATSATS

Remodeling a tourist site for bats, educators and scientists © merlin d. tuttle, bci / 0001414 Rafinesque’s big-eared bats like this one moved into an abandoned tourist site at Mammoth Cave National Park in by Steven Thomas Kentucky. The park turned the site into a high-tech bat house.

hapel Garden Galleries opened in 1972 as The result is a state-of-the-art bat house with an array of high- part of the Wondering Woods tourist at- tech research and monitoring tools and the beginning of an in- traction alongside Kentucky’s Mammoth novative web-based citizen-science project. Cave CNational Park. The art gallery included a spacious chapel- Rafinesque’s big-eared bats, one of the least-studied Ameri- hall and a sturdy, brick tower 50 feet (15.2 meters) tall. When can bat species, are thinly scattered across much of the south- the attraction closed in 1992, the property was donated to the eastern United States. Researchers affectionately refer to them national park. Most of the buildings were removed, but the as “Rafs.” Roughly 1,500 Rafs are known to live within the chapel and tower were left standing. For years, they were largely boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park. They are agile ignored, except for occasional vandals – and one of the largest- flyers that feed on moths and other insects. known maternity colonies of Rafinesque’s big-eared bats. Rafs hibernate in caves during the winter in this area and About 100 females of this rather rare species (Corynorhinus mostly roost during the summer months in caves, abandoned rafinesquii) found refuge in the chapel, especially the tower, each buildings and hollow trees. In summer, female Rafs gather in summer as they gave birth and raised their pups in the defunct maternity colonies, where each gives birth to a single pup in tourist site. early June. Mothers mostly nurse their babies during the day, In 2008, increased concerns about human safety in and then leave at night to feed. Adult males typically roost by them- around the dilapidated chapel led park management to decide selves, but occasionally join maternity colonies or “bachelor that the buildings needed to be demolished. As a National Park colonies” made up of other males and females without young. Service ecologist, I asked the park to consider sparing at least Remodeling the Chapel Garden Galleries began in January the circular tower as a summer home for bat mothers and pups. 2010, when the bats were absent and hibernating in area caves. I also suggested enhancing the tower roost to provide new re- The main building was demolished, leaving only the circular search and educational opportunities – an idea the park had tower and its two entrance structures. previously discussed with Bat Conservation International and The tower itself required little attention beyond protecting the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. the bats from human disturbance. We installed bat-friendly steel Mammoth Cave management approved the plan and dedi- gates at the two entrances, installed a security-alarm system and cated funds and staff time to ensure the bats kept their home. added a lockable door for official access to the roost. We rein-

BATS 14 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 forced and replaced the roof on each of the two short entrance These data give scientists important information on the structures and sealed unwanted openings. The grounds were changes and timing of the bats’ activity, but they do not provide graded and seeded with native grasses and a mix of native wild- an exact count since the same bat may break the beams multiple flowers to promote insects. times in just a few minutes. Researchers are developing a model The secure maternity roost was ready to go by March 17, that should provide a better estimate of the relationship between 2010, when pregnant female bats began reclaiming their ma- the number of beam breaks and the number of bats using the ternity ward. bat house. A small, prefabricated concrete building was added within a We also use Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags) to few months to serve as a control room for an array of electronic identify and count specific bats. These are like the microchips equipment that was added over the next two years for research often implanted in pets. In 2011-12, Rafinesque’s big-eared bats and education. These included Internet service, wireless moni- were captured using a harp trap as they left the bat house. Each toring, beam-break bat counting, night-vision web cameras and bat’s sex, age and health status were recorded and a PIT tag with instruments to remotely monitor temperature and humidity. a unique number was harmlessly implanted under the skin of These bats play vital roles in ecosystems, yet relatively little its back. This process will be repeated every year in late summer is known about their social behaviors. Do certain bats hang out to add pups and any new adults. together in maternity roosts? Do mothers help each other care A PIT-tag antenna, which resembles a culvert three feet for their young? How much time in the day roost is spent sleep- (about a meter) across and four feet (1.2 meters) long, was in- ing, grooming or interacting with their pups and with other stalled at each entrance. When a tagged bat flies through, the bats in the colony? Do the babies interact with one another? antenna activates the PIT tag and sends the information to a How? Scientists have few answers to such questions – and they transceiver, which records every pass. Portable PIT-tag readers have found that even a single observer sitting quietly in a roost have also been used to scan Rafs at other roosting sites, thus al- can disturb the bats and affect their behavior. lowing scientists to track the movements of individual bats. We installed two night-vision video cameras in the bat house Of the 173 bats implanted with PIT tags since April 2011,

Before After

Photos courtesy of u.s. national ParK service The chapel tower and two battered entrances (left photo) were all that remained of the Wondering Woods site in January 2010. A year later, the Wondering Woods Bat House (right) was welcoming bats, which enter and exit through gates in each of the two side structures. to allow scientists, online observers and people at Mammoth 158 were recorded at the bat house at least once. That number Cave National Park’s Visitor Center to remotely view the bats is probably low because of early equipment problems that have without disturbing them. since been resolved. Bats enter and exit the bat house through the two entrances, Meanwhile, the Mammoth Cave International Center for each guarded by a double set of gates, which allow the bats to Science and Learning recently received funding from the Na- move freely in and out, but prevent people from entering. Each tional Science Foundation to develop a national online citizen- inner gate has an infrared double beam-break system, installed science initiative focused on bat behaviors. When completed, by Bat Conservation International, that shoots pairs of infrared people will be able to log into the project’s website, watch beams from an emitter to a detector. When a bat flies through streaming video from inside the bat house and record the be- the gate it breaks the beams and is recorded. The system pro- haviors they observe. The resulting data will be freely available vides not only the number of “beam breaks,” but information to scientists, educators and others. on whether the bats were entering or exiting. BCI Education Director James Eggers serves on the advisory

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 15 BATS courtesy of u.s. national ParK service Michael Baker adjusts the bat-counting beam-break system that’s installed on an inner gate just inside one of the bat-house entrances. The round entrance in the background contains an antenna for collecting information from PIT tags attached to many of the bats. team for this ambitious project, which is expected to be com- STEVEN THOMAS is the Monitoring Program Leader of the Na- pleted in early 2015. tional Park Service’s Cumberland Piedmont Network, headquar- The Wondering Woods Bat House at Mammoth Cave Na- tered at Mammoth Cave National Park. tional Park is proving to be a success on several levels. A battered and abandoned building has been transformed to protect an im- Acknowledgements portant bat colony, while offering a glimpse into the secret life of bats. It is a stimulating collaboration among National Park Service Mammoth Cave National Park gratefully acknowledges its part- scientists, researchers, educators and citizen scientists. ners in this important project: Ball State University, Bat Con- In the years to come, this Wondering Woods Bat House servation International, Cumberland Piedmont Network, Project will produce a massive database of behavioral informa- Indiana State University, Kentucky Department of Fish and tion that should help us answer the many lingering questions Wildlife Resources, University of Kentucky, U.S. Geological about this fascinating bat species. Survey and Western Kentucky University.

BATS 16 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 mAking A DiffErEncE

We Need Your Help to keep the bats flying at Bracken Cave

at Conservation International has been protecting the bats of Bracken Cave Reserve – the world’s largest bat B colony – since we purchased the cave in 1992. Thanks to the generosity of members and friends, we now own 697 surrounding acres of Central Texas Hill Country. The acquisitions were planned as a buffer between more than 10 million Mexican free-tailed bats and the expanding suburbs of nearby San Antonio. But that rugged landscape is no longer enough. This incredible summer maternity colony faces a serious challenge: a subdivision of 3,800 homes is planned along the Bracken Cave Reserve’s southern boundary. The impact of moving 10,000 people within a half-mile of 10 million bats is a daunting prospect for both the people and the bats. Many of you have visited the cave on our special Member Nights. You’ve witnessed the unforgettable emergence as millions of bats – mostly nursing mothers and pups just learning to fly – swirl up from the cave mouth in a vortex so dense you can hear the flapping of wings before thick ribbons of bats spread over the landscape to hunt tons of insect pests. The subdivision planned by Galo Properties will build at least two to three homes per acre, a radical change from the area’s large ranches. The risk of human-and-bat encounters is great, as is the potential for unfortunate outcomes. Texas law leaves little room for consideration of many relevant environmental issues, including protecting the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone or the federally endangered golden-cheeked warbler that frequents our preserve and the Galo land. This proposal ultimately goes before the San Antonio Planning Commission for approval, with limited consideration of these concerns. Public appeals to Texas public officials, including the San Antonio City Council and Mayor, may be our best hope. That’s where we need your help. Please consider visiting our website, signing our online petition and writing or calling the officials listed on our site. Thank you.

A Special Gift to Honor Special Friends ©merlin d. tuttle, bci BCI Board Member Sandy Read is supporting our fight to save Bracken Cave through a special gift in honor of his parents, Verne and Marion Read. They were among BCI’s earliest and most dedicated supporters. Verne died in 2012. Sandy’s message: “Bracken Cave is not only one of the crown jewels of the bat world, it is one of the most amazing animal- viewing experiences one can have. We, as an organization, took on the responsibility to be caretakers of this treasure when we acquired it. There are so many people who have been so moved by this cave and the emergence of the bats. We must do what we can to minimize the development around it. I am contributing $10,000 for the defense of Bracken Cave. This is given in memory of Verne Read and in honor of his surviv- ing wife, Marion Read. I am also honoring [BCI Founder] Merlin Tuttle for his vision in trying to save this cave Verne and Marion Read from the onslaught of an expanding city.” You’ll find contact information and the latest news about this dire threat to the bats of Bracken Cave at www.batcon.org/savebracken

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 17 BATS nEWs AnD notEs A new chance for the Philippine bare-backed fruit bat

he Philippine bare-backed fruit bat was pronounced extinct the species, which the IUCN lists as Critically Endangered. Tin 1990, a victim of illegal but widespread hunting and severe “We have confirmed capture of a young female [Philippine habitat loss on its two home islands, Cebu and Negros in the bare-backed fruit bat] during our visit,” Alcala reported in April Philippines. But at least a few of these rarely studied bats escaped 2013. “We also observed a couple in another roosting tree but oblivion. And now local conservationists are working desperately, discontinued setting up the nets to avoid stress on the animals.” with support from BCI, to keep this species from vanishing. He said the team will revisit the Calatong forest soon to con- The species was rediscovered on Cebu in 2001, although tinue gathering scientific information about the species and its none have been reported there since, and logging has removed habitat for use in a concerted campaign to establish a protected nearly all of the island’s remaining limestone forests. A few of area and a formal management plan for the area. the bare-backed fruit bats (Dobsonia chapmani) also were con- BCI has pledged rapid-response funding for this essential ef- firmed in the Calatong forest on Negros in 2003 and 2006 by fort and is recruiting other U.S. and international partners. “It Ely Alcala of Silliman University in Dumaguete, Philippines. is not often that we are able to make a positive conservation im- When a new capture of a bare-backed fruit bat on Negros pact for a species previously thought to be extinct,” said Inter- was reported last year, BCI’s International Programs was able to national Programs Director Dave Waldien. “In this case, we are provide funding that allowed Alcala, Acting Director of Silli- doing exactly that, with local partners who are focused on the man’s Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental species, habitat and communities and who are working to win Management, to lead a modest project to search for roosting the support of the government.” sites in Calatong. The work also included initial community Alcala’s outreach is aimed at provincial and local officials, as outreach aimed at providing the first measure of protection for well as community leaders, churches and schools. College students are being trained to assist in the courtesy of ely alcala research. He said he hopes to give local residents a sense of pride and ownership so they will demand ac- tion and assist in protecting their bats from hunters and from the rampant cutting of trees for charcoal production that destroys their habitat. The challenges are immense. Ag- gressive hunting in the past was a key factor in the nearly complete annihi- lation of bare-backed fruit bats, which can weigh up to half a pound (225 grams) each. And the forests within their limited range continue to disappear at a frightful pace. Be- cause of this, the species is no longer observed in many of their former habitats in southern and central Ne- gros. But dedicated local conservationists, with growing international support, are finally giving the bare- backed fruit bats a chance to return from the brink of oblivion.

You can help BCI support this valiant grassroots effort to save the Philippine bare-backed fruit bat. Visit www.batcon.org/donate.

BATS 18 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 nEWs AnD notEs An amazing African bat

he little pied bat (aka pied butterfly bat) of central and west pattern of spots and stripes,” Reeder said in a Bucknell news re- TAfrica is one of the most dazzling of bats, with dramatic lease. “It was clearly a very extraordinary animal, one that I had white stripes and spots on its black fur. Its markings have been never seen before. I knew the second I saw it that it was the find compared to those of a badger or panda. It’s also one of the most of a lifetime.” seldom seen, with only a handful of reports since its discovery After a detailed analysis of the bat, she said, it was “clear that in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1938, and none since it doesn’t belong in the genus that it’s in right now. … Every- one specimen was collected in the Ivory Coast in 1972. That thing you look at doesn’t fit. It’s so unique that we need to create changed this year, when research teams reported capturing pied bats, one in the DR Congo and the other in South Sudan. This bat “is certainly one of the most spectacular bats in Africa and worldwide,” said German biologist Jacob Fahr of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany. He was on the team working in DR Congo. The paucity of sightings might suggest very specific habitat preferences for a species that’s thought to prefer dense tropical forests. But the new encounters may also reflect a sharp increase in bat research across the continent by scientists from Africa as well as Western countries. That new interest was symbolized in February 2013, as delegates to the first African Bat Conservation Summit in Kenya created Bat Conserva- tion Africa, a continental network courtesy of bucKnell university/deeann reeder of scientists and conservationists. A paper published in the European Journal of Taxonomy this a new genus.” year announced “the rediscovery of the pied butterfly bat (Glau- The team proposes a genus called “Niumbaha,” which conycteris superba), 40 years after this species was last reported.” means “unusual” in the Zande language of the area. The biologists were working on Mbiye Island in the Congo “To me, this discovery is significant because it highlights the River as part of a larger study, when a pied bat wound up in biological importance of South Sudan and hints that this new one of 10 mist nets. Two members of that team, Fahr and Guy- nation has many natural wonders yet to be discovered. South Crispin Gembu Tungaluna of the University of Kisangani in Sudan is a country with much to offer and much to protect,” the Democratic Republic of Congo, had participated in the said Matt Rice, South Sudan country director for Fauna & Flora Kenya summit. International (FFI), which is working with Reeder. The other published report of the species, in the journal FFI is assisting the South Sudanese government’s efforts to ZooKeys, included a proposal to create a new genus for the pied rehabilitate some protected areas by training park staff and bat. Its authors included DeeAnn Reeder and Megan Vodzak wildlife service personnel, improving road and infrastructure, of Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, Kristofer Helgen and providing equipment and supporting research. Darrin Lunde of the U.S. Smithsonian Institution and Imran “Our discovery of this new genus is an indicator of how di- Ejotre of Islamic University of Uganda. The research was sup- verse the area is and how much work remains,” Reeder added. ported by the Woodtiger Fund. That observation can be applied across nearly all of Africa, They were doing fieldwork in the Bangangai Game Reserve but bat science and conservation clearly are taking hold on the when the remarkable bat was captured. “My attention was im- vast continent. There are, no doubt, remarkable discoveries yet mediately drawn to the bat's strikingly beautiful and distinct to come.

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 19 BATS nEWs AnD notEs TheWISH LIST Teens for Bats hen BCI Education Director James Eggers talked of bats and Your help with any of these special needs will directly improve BCI’s Wtheir values and conservation needs at Moody Gardens in ability to protect bats and bat habitats. To contribute or for more Galveston, Texas, last year, he charged up a very impressive group information, contact BCI’s Department of Develop ment at (512) 327-9721 or [email protected]. of teenagers. The popular, nature-oriented tourist site says its mission as “a public, non-profit educational destination [is] utilizing nature in Benches for Bracken the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation and research.” The young people were part of Moody’s SAVY Program Now that BCI has reinstated Member Nights at (Society for the Advancement of Volunteer Youth). Volunteer Co- Bracken Cave Reserve, we need to provide seating ordinator Maria Miller says the around the mouth of the cave so visitors can safely program gives students ages 14 to watch the bats’ evening emergence. For $100 each, 17 an opportunity to help their you can provide benches made of beautiful Ashe ju- community while gaining experi- niper (known locally as “cedar”) that was removed ence in potential career fields, in- from the Bracken property as part of our habitat cluding biology and education. restoration project. For only $200, you can donate a After Eggers’ presentation, the bench that will bear your name on a plaque – and SAVY kids decided to participate provide reserved seating for your Bracken visit. in International Year of the Bat by Restoring and studying the 697-acre Reserve, developing an education-and- meanwhile, requires a great deal of equipment that fundraising cart, which they needs protection. We desperately need a 500-square- staffed at Moody Gardens Rain- foot storage shed, with a price tag of $5,000. forest Pyramid, a 10-story struc- ture packed with tropical plants. Bringing Bat Research to Serbia The result: they sent Bat Conser- Scientific knowledge of the 29 bats species of Serbia is vation International a donation of scant and largely superficial, while public attitudes are $2,282. filled with fearsome old myths. Biologist Jelena “It is a joy working side by courtesy of moody Gardens Burazerovic, of the University of Belgrade’s side with these young people,” Department of Animal Ecology and Geography, is Miller said. “They are truly an amazing group of teenagers dedicated working to change that by training and empowering a to making a difference in their communities and in the world.” new generation of bat scientists and conservationists. Among other things, she plans to integrate bats into the curriculum of a university course on urban ecology in hopes of motivating students to study bats. Buraze- Bci member snapshot rovic proposes a series of workshops where students and volunteers will learn research techniques and the leven-year-old Finn Osborne “was so systematic use of bat detectors, then follow the Einspired by reading our latest issue of workshops with field research on the distribution and BATS Magazine that he made this numbers of Serbian bats. And budding conservationists poster,” writes his mom, BCI Member will learn how to educate the public about the values Natasha Kassell of Philadelphia, and needs of bats. To help with this unprecedented Pennsylvania. Finn took the poster bat-conservation effort for Serbia, she requests a BCI to his school, the AIM Academy, at- Global Grassroots Conservation Fund grant of $4,690. tached it to a box and hung it in a prominent spot. His schoolmates Fun Facts About Bats rewarded his initiative by donat- Filled with “gee-whiz” facts about bats, BCI’s little wal- ing about $25 for Bat Conserva- let-size Important Bat Facts brochures are very popu- tion International. “Thanks for lar educational tools for bat exhibits, presentations, all you do,” Natasha added in her note to classrooms and parties. Some people even hand them BCI. “May you continue to inspire people of all out to Trick or Treaters at Hallowe’en. But we are ages to save the bats.” about to exhaust our supply of these handy teaching tools. Help us spread the word. We need $2,750 to hare a snapshot of your bat activities: email it to [email protected] reprint 20,000 of these brochures. S or mail to Snapshot, Bat Conservation International, PO Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716.

BATS 20 summer 2013 Volume 31, No. 2 mAking A DiffErEncE Let Nature be Your Legacy. Include BCI in your will or living trust to help bats keep our ecosystems healthy for generations to come

at conservation International lost a valued friend on January 7, courtesy of Judith harris 2012, when Ronald S. Treichler died at the age of 76 in Lansdale, B Pennsylvania. Ronny was a high school science teacher who grew up on a farm and never lost a farmer’s love of nature. He joined a still-struggling Bat Conservation International in 1987 and made regular, modest donations throughout the years. His will included a very generous bequest for BCI. Part of a close family, “Ronny would talk to us about conservation a lot,” said his cousin, Judith Harris, who is an estate attorney. “He’d explain the food chain and nature and agriculture and what happens when you disturb the bal- ance of nature. And he was very concerned about what was being done to the bat populations. He knew it would take its toll on everything around us.” Harris was not surprised that BCI was included in the will. “Even though he didn’t have children of his own, it was very important to Ronny that he leave behind a world that is healthy and livable and sustainable. That’s where bat conservation comes in.” And, she adds, “bequests are a great way for people who can’t give a lot of money during their lifetime to have a real impact on a cause that is important Ronald Treichler helped with a children’s program to them.” at Schwenkfelder Library in Pennsburg, PA. You can have a lasting impact on the health of our natural world by joining BCI’s Legacy Circle – conservationists who have included Bat Conservation International in their estate planning. A “charitable bequest” is a simple, flexible way to ensure that bats will still be improving our natural environment and human economies for many years to come. For more information, please visit www.batcon.org/planned or call Executive Director Andy Walker at (512) 327-9721.

Legacy Circle Bequests in 2012-13 Our thanks to the Estates of: Suzanne M. Corbett, Coral L. Foss, Henry W. Grady, Jr., Roderick Mills, Ronald S. Treichler and Anna C. Wheeler Legacy Circle Members Don Allen Lisa M. Edmondson Vega A. Lalire Larry Simpson JoEllen Marie Arnold Barbara French Lenora Larson David Skryja Cindy Barbee Tollie B. Gilliam M. L. Magrath Douglas Soroka Susan Barnard Dawn Handschuh Mary Kay Manning Steve Starr Jan Ezkovich Barnes Tom Haraden Mike Schaeffer & Clint Stuart Nancy Bernstein Ronald D. Hennessey Michelle Maton Gerry & Pearl Sugarman Merrilyn Meigs Bonin Alan P.W. Hewett Mimi McMillen Eric Tapler Barb & Ken O. Bowman Margo Thomas & Edmund S. Morgan Dick & Linda Taylor Sherri & Robert Bray Stephen Holman Eileen & Lawrence Moyer Carol L. Thomas Patricia E. Brown Patricia A. Honsberger Amy J. Munich Joyce Thomas Scott Brown Patricia & Steve Hooley Ann Nehaya Walsh Jean & Kenneth Thompson E. Nancy Burns Linda Hughes Donna O'Daniel Elizabeth Tilbury Phillip Camitses Dr. & Mrs. Cal Jaeger Pascommuck Art Tricka Alexander Campbell Gwen Brewer & George Jett Conservation Trust, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. William Truckner Cyndy Carroll Jackie Johnson Sue Payne Joyce B. & Leonard Tufts Barbara M. Champion Joyce W. Johnston Tammy & Jeffrey Powell Tammy Vaughn Sky & Bobbi Chaney Beverly McCain Jones Penelope Purtzer Nancy L. Weiss Martha Conklin Kathi Keeton Andrew & Janet Raddatz Brownyn Lesley & Dinah Drago Jeff T. Kirkham Luida E. Sanders David Baron Wood Frances Dye Sue Ellen Young Knolle Jan Schroeder Elaine Young Hugh L. Eckert Robert Kozmar Joan Simpson Anthony J. Zimmerman

Volume 31, No. 2 summer 2013 21 BATS NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 1530

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