We trapped at Montauk State Park for several nights this summer and each night interested park staff members joined us to learn about working with my favorite night time creatures (bats). Copied below is their Facebook post describing what they learned from working with us. And consider checking out the rest of their page to learn more about the park and activities for visitors. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copied from: https://www.facebook.com/montaukstateparkofficial/posts/1629639863811798 Montauk State Park added 7 new photos. August 17 at 3:31 PM · Recently, U.S. Forestry Bat Biologists Sybill Amelon, Sarah Hooper, and Alicia Roistacher conducted a survey on the park to assess numbers, types, and health of bats who use our park every night. These creatures are exceptionally difficult to capture and study because they are both nocturnal and fly, requiring the researchers to stay out all night operating specialized equipment. Once captured the researchers record data related to species, maturity, and health, even collecting feces and blood samples to analyze diet, hormones, and cellular health, Among the bat species identified were Gray, eastern red, big brown, evening, tri-colored, and even a rare, Hoary bat. Bats are threatened by habitat loss, cave disturbance, pesticides, an introduced fungus known as “white nose” and a variety of other threats, making Missouri State Parks a safe haven for bats to live and forage for food. By understanding more about these fascinating creatures we hope to find solutions for their continued survival. For more information please talk with one of our knowledgeable park staff at Montauk. Thank you to our U.S. Forestry partners for sharing your expertise and time with us!
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Summer has been quite busy with field work and working with a variety of undergraduate and veterinary students. This summer has been tremendously fun as the majority of students I am working with have never had a chance to work with wildlife, work on a research project, or work the field. For one student it was "the absolutely the coolest experience in my life" to be able to work with bats, but she also had the "worst experience of her life" having to learn there were no flush toilets in the wilderness. |
AuthorSarah Hooper Archives
May 2020
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