Bat Research
For the conservation of our furry flying friends
Objectives
Our bat study has three main aims:
to continue cataloguing the bat species present on Utila within different habitat types
to estimate and monitor the population size of bat colonies living within limestone cave systems island wide
to establish protection, conservation management plans for bats and facilitate sustainable eco-tourism for cave sites.
We provide internships and training in mist-netting survey methods, data collection and identification. We want to promote studies into specific topics such as bat species ecology, morphology, abundance and distribution, cave roosting population sizes, behaviour, diet and parasite load.
We have lots of ideas for student projects and thesis questions!
Bats on Utila
Meet the faces of our friends!
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat
Artibeus jamaicensis
Pygmy Fruit-eating Bat
Dermanura phaeotis
Pallas's Long-tongued Bat
Glossophaga soricina
Greater Sac-winged Bat
Saccopteryx bilineata
Spectral Bat
Vampyrum spectrum
Mexican Greater
Funnel-eared Bat
Natalus mexicanus
Argentine Brown Bat
Eptesicus furinalis
Interested in Bats?
Join our internship program to gain field experience or develop your own project!
See the scheduled dates for our bat internship courses, as well as ideas for student projects and thesis questions.