Lecture: Investigating the Ecology of Bats in the West

Draper Natural History Museum's August Lunchtime Expedition features Dr. Riley F. Bernard who presents "Voyagers of the Night: Investigating the Ecology of Bats in the West." Dr. Bernard is Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming.
 

The in-person talk takes place in the Center’s Coe Auditorium, with a virtual option available at https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_EaX18w_PRmeA6NMrPPNhQw.
 

Numerous bat species in North America are facing severe population declines due to anthropogenic stressors such as habitat loss, climate change, and the introduction of disease. While research on bats has been incredibly informative for conservation, most research has been conducted in the eastern portion of the continent, where bats are more easily accessible (i.e., in caves and mines during winter).
 

Bats in the West are just as susceptible to these threats, but information regarding their ecology is lacking. Researchers in the Bernard Research Lab at the University of Wyoming are working to fill knowledge gaps related to bat ecology, behavior, and persistence. Specifically, we are working to better understand where at-risk species roost during summer, how they utilize our novel landscape, and how they are affected by various stressors such as the introduction of disease (white-nose syndrome) and climate change.
 

In this talk, Dr. Bernard provides a primer of what makes bats special and unique to study, as well as provide a sneak peek into what her lab has been helping uncover in an attempt to save the region’s bats.