Within 3 national parks, the project will fully characterize threatened BAT seasonal and population ecology, document summer maternity activity, roost characteristics, and determine genetic…

The National Park Service awarded a $190,000 cooperative agreement to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University from June 2022 through June 2027 under the Cooperative Research and Training Programs – Resources of the National Park System program (CFDA 15.945). The university will characterize bat population ecology within three national parks by using acoustic detectors and mist netting to capture, process, and radio track bats to day roosts and foraging areas from June through August 2022-2026. Researchers will collect tissue for genetic analysis and provide insights into possible local overwintering use. The project also includes acoustic monitoring, mist netting, tissue collection, genetic analysis, radio tracking of bats, characterization of day roosts, and analysis of acoustic data from 2016-2019. An annual progress report is due September 15th each year with a draft resource brief and final report submitted by December 2024.

Within 3 national parks, the project will fully characterize threatened BAT seasonal and population ecology, document summer maternity activity, roost characteristics, and determine genetic connectedness to other populations in the region.(1) use summer acoustic detectors and mist-netting to capture, process, and radio-track bats to day-roosts and foraging areas; (2) collect tissue for genetic analysis, (3) provide insights into possible local overwintering use.acoustic monitoring, mist-netting, tissue collection and genetic analysis, VHF radio-track, characterize day-roosts, analyze acoustic data with 2016-2019 previously collected data, submit annual progress report 15 sept, create draft resource brief, final report DEC 2024.