Julie's Legacy There are some people you meet during your life time who become long term friends, Julie was one of those – we have known each other for over 23 years, ever since 1987 when she was promoting a new group called WIRES! The blue mountains branch was the second branch to form about a year after Sydney started, Julie then went on to set up the North West branch of WIRES. Julie introduced me to Mega and Microbats and she also invented the dummy for flying-foxes, which we all use today. * Julie joined Ku-ring-gai Bat Colony Committee in 1989 and did educational talks to the community to raise the profile of the flying-fox and also trained many wildlife carers in NSW in both Mega and Microbats. * Julie formed the first all-female Bat Team to set-up the Megaharp trap, band and record Flying- fox statistics at Cabramatta. * Julie started the Cabramatta Creek Flying- fox Committee with Fairfield Council in 1995 and also instigated the weeding and re-vegetation of the site . * Julie held an A class licence under the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme (ABBBS) she also trained other members of wildlife organisations to become bat banders. * Julie was involved in the book” Raising Archie” by Richard Morecroft. * Julie also worked with bat scientists in both Mega and Microbats. She has co-written papers on both species of bats. * Julie worked for The Animal Welfare league and was on many committees regarding domestic and native animals. In October 2010 after being ill for some months Julie was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer th and passed away on the 27 December 2010. I have Julie's permission to place her notes on Ozark so all carers could have access to them to help them understand and care for these delightful small winged mammals. Regards Sonya Stanvic INSECTIVOROUS BATS MANAGEMENT and CARE for REHABILITATION and RELEASE including IDENTIFICATION GUIDE for species occurring in South-eastern Australia Freetail Bat Mormopterus species (undescribed) Julie A. Spence July 1992 (Revised March, August 2003) CONTENTS Preface Acknowledgements Australian Bat Lyssavirus 1. Introduction to Insectivorous Bats 1.1 Experts in Echolocation 1.2 Natural diet 1.3 Feeding Strategies 1.4 Torpor and Hibernation 1.5 Roost Sites 1.6 Characteristics 1.7 Reproduction 1.8 Predators 2. Guidelines to Assist with Identification 2.1 Measurements 2.2 Weight 2.3 Gender 2.4 Age 3. Identification Process 3.1 Family Identification 3.2 Genus and Species Identification 3.3 How to Complete the Identification 4. Handling and Considerations 4.1 Rescue 4.2 Cause of Encounter 4.3 Season of Encounter 4.4 Assessment 5. Injuries Encounted and Recommended Treatments 5.1 Membrane Damage 5.2 Soft Tissue Injury 5.3 Fractures 5.4 Dislocations 5.5 Head Injuries 6. Problems Encounted and Recommended Treatments 6.1 Dehydration 6.2 General Debilitation 6.3 Old Age 6.4 Poisoning 6.5 Mites (Ectoparisites) 6.6 Worms (Endoparisites) 6.7 Ticks 6.8 Entanglements 6.9 Disturbance of Roost 6.10 Unwelcome Roost 7. Housing 7.1 Cotton pillowcase 7.2 Calico bag 7.3 Cotton ‘tent’ 7.4 Cotton cloth box 7.5 Shade cloth box 7.6 Portable shade cloth house 7.7 Cave-dwelling Species - - 8. Pre-feeding Warm-up 8.1 Assisted Warm-up 8.2 Natural Warm-up 9. Diet 9.1 Live food in captivity 9.2 Natural live food 9.3 Supplementary food 9.4 Water 10. Feeding Techniques 10.1 Feeding position 10.2 Methods 10.3 Difficult feeders 10.4 How much food? 11. Exercise 11.1 Natural Flight in Captivity 11.2 Encourage to Fly in Captivity 11.3 Other Form of Captive Exercise - Scurrying 12. Grooming 12.1 Fur 12.2 Wing and Tail Membranes 13. Release Methods 13.1 Free fly 13.2 Tree 13.3 Bat box 14. Specimen Collection 15. References 16. Additional Reading Appendices Appendix 1 Listing of Australian Bat Species Appendix 2 Basic Tips for Growing Mealworms List of Illustrations Cover Page Freetail Bat Mormopterus species (undescribed) Figure 1 The echo-location technique Figure 2 Capturing insects on the wing Figure 3 Long-eared bat hovering to glean insect from leaf Figure 4 Freetail Bat scurrying through leaf litter Figure 5 Myotis adversus foraging over water Figure 6 Drinking water on the wing Figure 7 Cave roost Figure 8 Tree hollow roost - - Figure 9 Roost in gable of house Figure 10 Roost in roof space Figure 11 (a) Simple-nosed Bat (b) Horseshoe Bat Figure 12 (a) Roosting position of most microbats (b) Roosting position of Horseshoe Bats Figure 13 (a) Enclosed tail (b) Freetail (c) Sheathtail Figure 14 Mother and young Figure 15 Baby suckling Figure 16 Young cluster together in nursery Figure 17 Measuring the bat Figure 18 Measuring tibia Figure 19 Measuring ear Figure 20 (a) Genitals of female bat (b) Genitals of male bat Figure 21 (a) Aging the bat (b) Estimate of age Figure 22 (a) Enclosed tail (b) Freetail (c) Sheathtail Figure 23 Structure of a Bat Figure 24 Wing Membrane Damage Figure 25 Penetrating Injury Figure 26 Types of Fractures Figure 27 The Old Bat Figure 28 Insecticidal Poisoning Figure 29 Diagram of wire cover Figure 30 Bat Box Release List of Tables Table 1 The Microbat Calendar - - First edition July, 1992. First revision September, 1994. Second revision August, 1999. Third revision March, August 2003 No part of this manual may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the author. Julie A. Spence - - PREFACE This is the third revision of an original manual produced July 1992. It has been written to guide voluntary wildlife carers in practical and humane methods of care and management of insectivorous bats whilst in a captive rehabilitation situation in preparation for subsequent release. This edition includes an uncomplicated species Identification Guide for the Wildlife Carer. The information has been gained from personal experiences over many years. The acquisition of knowledge by networking with carers and the scientific community has furthered techniques. Prior to handling any mega or microbat species, it is essential that wildlife carers be aware of the Australian Bat Lyssavirus, be vaccinated against Lyssavirus and maintain their annual titre level testing for antibody levels. To care for insectivorous bats it is important to identify the species; understand the species natural habitat, diet, simple biology, lifestyle and ecological role. This, in conjunction with guidance on reasons for encounter, season of encounter, circumstances and type of injury will assist the carer to be practical and rational in assessing the bat's condition. With this knowledge the carer should be conscious of the decision in attempting to rehabilitate the bat giving optimal chance of survival after release. Emotions should not rule in assessment of the animal, the animal's welfare should be first and foremost. Julie Spence - - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have encouraged and supported my work for many years. Helen George, O.A.M., was the instigator of my work with microbats in the very early days. During the following years a number of people assisted and guided me through the necessary basic requirements and understanding of these somewhat small, intriguing placental mammals. I wish to thank the following for their practical assistance: Anne Williams, Naturalist: Ray Williams, Naturalist and Bat Bander: Linda Gibson, Mammal Department, Australian Museum: Lindy Lumsden, Bat Researcher: Glenn Hoye, Bat Consultant: Brian Rich, Biochemist, Wombaroo Food Products, Glen Osmond SA: Dr. C. R. Tidemann, Lecturer, School of Resource Management and Environmental Science, Australian National University, Canberra ACT. During more recent years many wildlife carers have contributed in a great many ways to prompt the revision of the manual. Devona Fraser, Pamela Gardiner, Carole West, Sandra Ferguson to name but a few, thank you for sharing your experiences and allowing knowledge to be shared amongst the carers. Also, to the Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society Inc. (formally Ku-ring-gai Bat Colony Committee Inc.) for support during my years with the Committee and the NSW Wildlife Information & Rescue Service Inc. (WIRES) for continued support throughout the years. Sonya and Fred Stanvic and members of the Ku-ring-gai Bat Colony Committee for editing the original manuscript. Fred Stanvic for assistance with the presentation of the revised manuscript 1994 and Janet Hutchinson for her valuable comments on the original and first revised manuscript. Leanne Parkes for patience and practical advice during our lengthy discussions. Linda Collins for permission to use Australian Bat Lyssavirus notes. Thank you to Anne Bowman for the cover illustration, Leanne Parkes for illustrations on measuring bats and tail types, Lindy Lumsden for bat age diagrams. Leslie S. Hall & G. C. Richards for Structure of the Bat and Harry Parnaby for use of various illustrations in 'An Interim Guide to Identification of Insectivorous Bats of South-eastern Australia'. Also, Sue Churchill for diagrams in ‘Australian Bats’ and Phil Richardson for drawings in ‘Bats’. A special thank you to Glenn Hoye and Chris Tidemann who have conveyed much information and practical advice on difficulties experienced during the rehabilitation process. I sincerely appreciate the input from Glenn Hoye and Viki McDonald on layout advice and editing of the Identification Guide now included in this manual. - - THE AUSTRALIAN BAT LYSSAVIRUS (ABL) The Discovery of Lyssavirus In May 1996 Lyssavirus was discovered in Australian Bats. It was first isolated in a sub adult Black Flying-fox (Pteropus alecto) on the Far North Coast of NSW. It has subsequently been found in another three Australian Pteropus species: Grey-headed Flying-fox (P. poliocephalus), Little Red Flying-fox (P. scapulatus) and Spectacled Flying-fox (P.