Bat acoustic data from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, 2018

Name: Bat acoustic data from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, 2018
Published: 2018

Pilkington, Lonnie; Brogie, Ben; Tallman, Shandiin

GLCA used the allocated funding to assess bat species susceptible to WNS; increase resource protection; and enhance WNS and bat-related education, outreach, and communication. Early emergence WNS/Pd surveillance sampling conducted over 7 nights resulted in 53 captures of the following 7 species (target species in italics): A. pallidus, C. townsendii, I. phyllotis, M. californicus, M. volans, P. hesperus, and T. brasiliensis. All collected specimens (i.e. wing/muzzle swab, fecal, and carcass) tested negative for Pd/WNS. GLCA staff and VIPs surveyed 12, NABat 10- by 10-km grid cell sample units using stationary point and mobile acoustic transect survey protocols. Mist-netting efforts were incorporated to ease interpretation of acoustic data and to verify species presence in the area. Sampling was targeted in the following vegetation communities: pinyon-juniper woodlands, riparian, and desert shrub. Stationary point acoustic surveys resulted in 27,233 recorded calls from which Sonobat 4 identified the following 18 species: A. pallidus, C. townsendii, E. fuscus, E. maculatum, E. perotis (under investigation), L. blossevillii (under investigation), L. cinereus, L. noctivagans, M. californicus, M. ciliolabrum, M. evotis, M. lucifugus (under investigation), M. thysanodes, M. volans, M. yumanensis, Nyctinomops spp., P. hesperus, and T. brasiliensis. Mobile acoustic transect surveys resulted in 71 recorded calls from which Sonobat 4 identified the following 3 species: P. hesperus, T. brasiliensis, and E. fuscus. Mist-netting operations conducted over 9 nights resulted in 150 captures of the following 9 species: A. pallidus, E. fuscus, I. phyllotis, M. californicus, M. thysanodes, M. volans, M. yumanensis, P. hesperus, and T. brasiliensis. The wing condition of all captured bats was scored from 0-3 according to the Reichard wing-damage index. GLCA and partners engaged 109 citizen scientists (CS) in acoustic bat monitoring efforts on 6 multi-day river trips along the Colorado and San Juan Rivers. The CS learned about bat biology, bat conservation, and acoustic monitoring techniques. Each evening at riverside campsites CS deployed Wildlife Acoustics (WA) SM4BAT FS acoustic monitoring devices and used WA Echo Meter Touch monitoring devices to listen to and identify bats in real-time. Citizen science based stationary point acoustic surveys resulted in 9,073 recorded calls from which Sonobat 4 identified the following 16 species: A. pallidus, E. fuscus, E. maculatum, E. perotis (under investigation), I. phyllotis, L. blossevillii (under investigation), L. cinereus, L. noctivagans, M. californicus, M. lucifugus (under investigation), M. thysanodes, M. volans, M. yumanensis, Nyctinomops spp., P. hesperus, and T. brasiliensis. On 07/21/18, GLCA and Glen Canyon Conservancy (GCC) hosted the 3rd Annual Glen Canyon Bat Festival and welcomed 200+ visitors to the event. Jason Corbett (Bat Conservation International [BCI] Subterranean Program Director) presented on the potential impacts of WNS on SW US cave roosting bat species. Ashley Xu (SCA NPS Academy Intern) shared results from park bat monitoring efforts. Educational booths and games consisted of threats (i.e. WNS, wind power development, caving decontamination protocols), bat house construction, gardening for bats, effects of artificial lighting on bats, bat monitoring equipment, and arts and crafts for kids. Attendees enjoyed learning how to use Echo Meter Touch monitoring devices on two bat listening walks. GLCA and BCI entered into a CESU agreement focused on locating and describing roosts of Myotids potentially impacted by WNS in the SW US (sampling planned for April of 2019). During National Bat Week, GLCA posted bat facts, monitoring results, and a park video (https://www.nps.gov/articles/osip17.htm) on park Facebook and/or Instagram accounts. The GCC Adopt-a-Bat program (http://canyonconservancy.org/donation-products/adopt-a-bat) which promotes bat conservation efforts and generate

Bat acoustic data from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, 2018

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