Animal Rescue XXI: Jamaican Fruit Bat

Bats give most people a creepy feeling when they intrude into a certain safe-space that people have just for animals that could cause irreparable harm. Seeing bats up in the sky is generally acceptable, because most people have come to terms with bats being "up there" and doing the things bats do, for as long as anyone can remember. But bats in the house, for instance, provoke a concern that comes from the subconscious, that is not easily controlled. Not even great admiration for Batman can dissolve the uneasiness they provoke.

Seeing a bat up close in a safe, controlled situation, however, usually works to endear people to them. Bats, after all, have faces, and they are small, and most of them, we know consciously, don't drink the blood of unfortunate humans. Most bats fall into one or another of three categories of diet: fruit, insects, and nectar. All of those bats provide tremendous environmental services that make our natural world work better. They keep down pesky insects, disperse seeds, and fertilize flowers.

We were recently blessed with a project - a juvenile Jamaican Fruit Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), not fully grown, that was found on the ground and would not fly. It would, however, drink and chew fruits. We at Gaia decided we would take on the project to rescue and try to bring the bat back to a healthy animal, if there was something we could do.

This little guy did not want to fly, but readily drank milk. Photo Jeffrey McCrary

The bat was still not nearly fully grown. As a mammal, it thoroughly enjoyed drinking milk, and it would suck on watermelon and other juicy fruits. We gave it plenty of food, at intervals of less than two hours over a ten-day period.

Eco-Warrior Volunteers diligently cared for the baby bat, feeding and cleaning the animal at frequent intervals. Photo Jeffrey McCrary. 

Our Eco-Warrior Enviromental Volunteers were enthusiastic about the animal. The baby bat had all the expected basic, biological functions, but did not grow or get stronger, and eventually succumbed. Meanwhile, we learned a few things.

The bat readily sucked milk out of a cloth, but paper was more easily extracted from his mouth after a feeding. Photo Jeffrey McCrary.

The first thing we learned, is that a bat is capable of responding positively to human attention and comfort. This little animal evidently enjoyed the attention and drank surprisingly large quantities at times. This all made us feel that the effort was not in vain. The bat did not live long, but it was not suffering and it even seemed to enjoy its life at moments.

Another feeding session with the baby bat. Photo Jeffrey McCrary.

We also learned that we can try to do things that may not always succeed. Success is to often defined by the absence of failure. Even though we did not see the bat grow to an independent creature and fly away to live in the wild, we learned and gave, and this one bat also gained a benefit, by living comfortably a few more days. So, we are happy.

The attempted rescue of this little animal also gave us the opportunity to share with others the story of bats as beneficial creatures. Not all animals we rescue survive to return to the wild, but we try to give them all a chance to live and, if it happens, to die with dignity, especially those animals affected by humans. Some, but not all the stories of wild animal rescue are positive, and some are downright tragic. All of us know, sadly, that the antagonistic relationship that humans sustain with wildlife requires new ways to engage people. We hope that this story reaches people who have not considered what happens to wildlife in the vicinity of humans. This little bat has gone on, but here, the story of this animal continues to reach people who may begin to consider that much of the harsh treatment toward wildlife is unnecessary and even counterproductive. Our staff, visitors, local neighbors and volunteers, and now, our readers can consider that even animals such as this little bat deserve both life and death with dignity.

A bat adorns the wall in Laguna de Apoyo. Photo Pablo Somarriba.

We are engaged in different types of activities at Gaia, not only wild animal rescue. Please read through our blog and visit us, to discuss with us the ways we can protect wild natural resources in Nicaragua. We hope you are engaged, too. If you would like to help us with cages, food, time, or money, to provide care for wild animals in distress, we would be grateful. Please contact us or drop by at Estación Biológica in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, any time.

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A new bat record for Laguna de Apoyo: Pteronotus personatus

We have been studying the bats of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve a while. Three volunteers, Michael Persicke, Lukas Betthaeusen, and Florian Schmid, all have made great contributions to our knowledge of the bats of our area during their volunteer periods sponsored by GIZ. We have 27 bat species on our list, about a quarter of all the species documented in Nicaragua, among the more than 600 bats captured in our studies to date. Nonetheless, there is always something new and special out there. 

Our technician Elmer Nicaragua noticed a small bat hanging from the roof of our patio, and we quickly concluded it was not any of the species we know to be in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve. Elmer captured it with a butterfly net, and we examined it. 

Wagner's Mustached Bat, Pteronotus personatus, has relatively long, thin wings. Photo by Elizabeth Loudon.

The tiny bat was quickly identified by its distinctive face, long wings, and lack of a wing-sac which some species have. The face was distinctive, with a large flap on the chin. And, of course, hair over the upper lip, hence the name Wagner's Mustached Bat.

This little male Wagner's Mustached Bat is a fully grown male. Photo by Elizabeth Loudon.

Wagner's Mustached Bat consumes insects, and uses Doppler shifts in echolocation. This bat species is not well-known in Nicaragua, and this was our first record of it in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve.

This tiny bat (Pteronotus personatus) has several unique features on the face and head that may be aids in echolocation. Photo by Elizabeth Loudon. 

We are not surprised at this finding, because we are sure there are many more species of bats in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve than the 27 documented species to date. Our presence here in the reserve, however, and the careful eye of Elmer Nicaragua, allowed us to make this new species record, thanks to his careful, trained eye.

Adult male Wagner's Mustached Bat (Pteronotus personatus), captured in Estacion Biologica, Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve,  Nicaragua, 20 May, 2013. Photo by Elizabeth Loudon.

This bat supposedly roosts in warm caves, but it is likely that this individual just got lost and chose our roof for his rest during the day. He is one more example of the importance of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve to the wildlife of Nicaragua.

Our little bat takes a few minutes to rest on the clothesline before flying away. Photo by Elizabeth Loudon. 

At FUNDECI/GAIA, we conduct diverse activities to protect wild nature in Nicaragua. Volunteers and conservation science interns are always welcomed. Would you like to work as a conservation science intern? Contact us for more details.

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Bat monitoring in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, Nicaragua II

Our bat list has reached twenty-seven species now in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, thanks to the steady work of our volunteers and staff. Each month, bat population monitoring is performed in four different locations. By performing the same bat monitoring procedure in different locations each month, we can detect trends in seasonality and also habitat use trends. Here are some photos from a recent monitoring session. Two of the more commonly encountered species are shown: the Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) and the Common Long-tongued Bat (Glossophaga soricina). Whereas the diet of the former is obvious from its name, the latter uses its long tongue to consume nectar and pollen from flowers. These are the two most common species captured in mist-netting in the area around Estacion Biologica. 

Common long-tongued bat, Glossophaga soricina. Photo by Ineke van Beek.

Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus jamaicensis. Photo by Ineke van Beek.

Florian and Line take notes on a captured bat. Photo by Ineke van Beek.

Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus jamaicensis. Photo by Ineke van Beek.

Our volunteer Line helps Florian with measurements on a captured bat. Photo by Ineke van Beek.

A new generation of bat enthusiasts help with the evening's work. Photo by Ineke van Beek.

Time for your dental exam! Photo by Ineke van Beek.

Our first capture of a Wrinkle-faced Bat (Centurio senex) was a real pleasure. It is widespread, ranging throughout Central America and into Mexico and South America, but uncommon in most locations, and is a poorly documented species.

A Wrinkle-faced Bat (Centurio senex) is trapped in a mist net. Photo by Xaver Schenk. 

The Wrinkle-faced Bat has unusual facial folds. Photo by Xaver Schenk.

Not everyone can be beautiful! Photo by Xaver Schenk.

Would you like to be a wildlife volunteer in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve? Let us know.

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Bat monitoring in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

We are learning a lot about the forests of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve. At night, when other things are quiet, bats are busy and we are monitoring the bat populations in different areas in the forest. The past couple of years, we have counted on volunteers Lukas Betthauser and Florian Schmid to manage the bat study, among the more ambitious nature studies in Nicaragua. Here are some images from the bats we have seen in our monitoring program.

Albino short-tailed fruit bat, Carollia perspicillata. Photo by Florian Schmid. 

An albino bat seems quite unlikely, given that most bats rely on stealth to catch their victim, or so we have been led to think. In fact, many bats enjoy the good life, consuming fruits and nectar and other things that don't run away when forewarned. The short-tailed fruit bat (also known as Seba's short-tailed bat) is one of those, and it only makes sense that an albino could survive in this species. The light color of this albino would alert predators to his presence, but would not affect his own prey, as the name suggests. Perhaps this albino guy was a little less lucky with the insects, but the 50-100 species of fruit, pollen and nectar would not have avoided him.

The roles in nature filled by bats may be quite diverse. They may disperse fruit, pollenate plants, and control populations of small animals. Some bats eat fish, others eat birds and other bats. There are dozens of species in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve and they help sustain the populations of many other species groups. It's not easy to batwatch, but if you accompany our monitoring team, you will see the bats up close and personal. They are some of the more enignmatic animals of the forest, and suprisingly charismatic when seen from near.

By mist netting in different parts of the reserve, we are gathering information on the habitat use by the bats. We can see strong distinctions in the bat communities according to the way humans impact the forest. Bat communities in the deep forest, far from houses and deforestation, are considerably different than in other places. 

Short-tailed fruit bat is being held by Florian. Photo by Jayne Richards.

Florian and a volunteer measure several parts of a bat. Photo by Jayne Richards. 

Florian extracts a bat from the mist net. Photo by Jayne Richards. 

Each bat in the study is measured before being released into the wild again. Photo by Jeffrey McCrary.

This is the first orange-throated bat (Lampronycteris brachyotis) captured in our studies in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve. Photo by Jayne Richards.

In our research on bats, we are hoping to determine how bats and humans interact. For instance, we want to know whether the bat populations differ according to the land use patterns in different parts of the Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve. For instance, some bats, such at the orange-throated bat, have only been found in the deepest forest. The bats we have recorded here are in the following list.

Saccopteryx bilineata (Greater Sac-winged Bat)

Noctilio leporinus (Greater Bulldog bat)

Pteronotus parnellii (Parnell's Mustached Bat)

Micronycteris minuta (White-bellied Big-eared Bat)

Lampronycteris brachyotis (Yellow-throated Big-eared Bat)

Phyllostomus discolor (Pale Spear-nosed Bat)

Phyllostomus hastatus (Greater Spear-nosed Bat)

Glossophaga soricina (Pallas's Long-tongued Bat)

Glossophaga leachii (Gray Long-tongued Bat)

Glossophaga commissarisi (Commissaris's Long-tongued Bat)

Carollia subrufa (Gray Short-tailed bat)

Carollia sowelli (Sowell's Short-tailed bat)

Carollia perspicillata (Seba's Short-tailed Bat)

Sturnira lilium (Little Yellow-shouldered Bat)

Artibeus lituratus (Great Fruit-eating Bat)

Artibeus intermedius (Leaf-nosed bat)

Artibeus jamaicensis (Jamaican fruit bat)

Artibeus inopinatus (Honduran Fruit-eating Bat)

Artibeus phaeotis (Pygmy Fruit-eating bat)

Uroderma bilobatum (Tent-making Bat)

Uroderma magnirostrum (Brown Tent-making Bat)

Platyrrhinus helleri (Heller's Broad-nosed Bat)

Centurio senex (Wrinkle-faced Bat)

Desmodus rotundus (Common Vampire Bat)

Myotis elegans (Elegant Myotis)

Rhogeessa tumida (Black-winged Little Yellow Bat)

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Research in the forest

By Stephan Beekhuis

Research in the forest

MOSI is a project which studies, and registers the captures of particular migratory birds that migrate from North America to the Laguna de Apoyo, but also resident species.

“The objective of our research is to characterize the bird community in particular area over many years. Some birds are of particular importance in this study, notably species with conservation issues. Some populations are terribly small. We don’t know the conservation status of each species, but with this research we can improve our knowledge and future conservation efforts”, states  Dr. Jeffrey McCrary, director of Estación Biológica.

On March 14^th, the volunteers of the Estacion Biologica packed up their backpacks for three days of camping to catch birds, bats, and rodents, as part of the MOSI monitoring effort.

Bats

It quickly becomes apparent that the ambiance in this largely-undeveloped part of the Laguna is very calm and peaceful; a good area to catch animals. At 6 o’clock in the evening two volunteers prepare the mist nets. Mist nets are typically made of nylon mesh suspended between two poles, resembling an oversized volleyball net. When properly deployed, the nets are virtually invisible.  A short while after, a Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) flies into the net. After getting the bat out of the net. the volunteers take measurements of various characteristics of the bat—weight, sex, wingspan—before snapping a photo and releasing it into the night.

Birds

After a night in the woods, which was uncomfortable with all the mosquito bites… The next morning at six o’clock the nets are up and ready for the first birds of the day. Every hour the volunteers check the nets. After the first hour they’ve caught two species: a Long-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia linearis) and a Clay-colored Trush (Turdus grayi). They subsequently weigh the bird, take around 15 measurements, and clip the tip of a non-essential feather so they’ll know if they recapture the same bird later.

An hour later they catch another three birds: a Rufous-capped Warbler (Basileuteris rufifrons), a Blue-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia cyanura) and another Long-tailed Manakin. We could tell by a short tail-feather that it was the same Long-tailed Manakin as earlier, demonstrating why marking the birds in some way is important to keeping the statistics accurate.

Besides catching birds the volunteers also count them by listening and watching. This is necessary because many species prefer to fly higher or have better eyesight and are more difficult to capture in the mist nets as a result.

The three-day trip was productive and after cleaning everything up, packing our backs, we head back to Estacion Biologica.  The volunteers will be returning next month  to do it all again.