Bat foraging ecology along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
Recording ultrasonic bat activity in Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park is a hotspot for bat diversity. Twenty-two bat species have been documented in the Park, more than any other national park unit.
The presence, abundance, and foraging activity of bats is tightly linked with the availability of water, especially in arid climates. In addition to requiring drinking water, bats forage along river corridors to prey on emergent aquatic insects. Riparian vegetation provides bats with night roosts, protection from predators, and gives them close access to surface drinking water.
The Colorado River ecosystem is important for bats because it is a source of invertebrate insect prey, and riparian vegetation and canyon walls provide a corridor of suitable habitat and influence the structure of bat migration and movement patterns.
SBSC Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) researchers are working to understand how management of the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dam operations affect this diverse assemblage of bats through community science projects that track aquatic insects in the Colorado River ecosystem ("Community Science in Grand Canyon") as well as through monitoring the effects of experimental weekend steady flows called "Bug Flows" (Macroinvertebrate Production Flows) designed to increase aquatic insect abundance in the river.
Read a recent study that investigated aquatic insect abundance and bat foraging activity:
Metcalfe, A.N., Fritzinger, C.A., Weller, T.J., Dodrill, M.J., Muehlbauer, J.D., Yackulic, C.B., Holton, P.B., Szydlo, C.M., Durning, L.E., Sankey, J.B., and Kennedy, T.A., 2023, Insectivorous bat foraging tracks the availability of aquatic flies (Diptera): The Journal of Wildlife Management, e22414, https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22414.
Safety Note: Bats and Rabies
Bats are known to carry rabies, which is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans and is fatal if untreated. Bats can spread rabies to humans through their saliva, via bites or scratches. It is important to never touch or handle bats, especially if they appear sick or are exhibiting unusual behavior such as being active during the day. Anyone who has had direct contact with a bat should seek medical consult, as rabies can only be confirmed through lab testing.
Community Science in Grand Canyon
Bug Flows: Improving Food Web Health on the Colorado River
Uncovering the Base of the Food Web: Primary Production Dynamics in the Colorado River
Grand Canyon National Park is a hotspot for bat diversity. Twenty-two bat species have been documented in the Park, more than any other national park unit.
The presence, abundance, and foraging activity of bats is tightly linked with the availability of water, especially in arid climates. In addition to requiring drinking water, bats forage along river corridors to prey on emergent aquatic insects. Riparian vegetation provides bats with night roosts, protection from predators, and gives them close access to surface drinking water.
The Colorado River ecosystem is important for bats because it is a source of invertebrate insect prey, and riparian vegetation and canyon walls provide a corridor of suitable habitat and influence the structure of bat migration and movement patterns.
SBSC Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) researchers are working to understand how management of the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dam operations affect this diverse assemblage of bats through community science projects that track aquatic insects in the Colorado River ecosystem ("Community Science in Grand Canyon") as well as through monitoring the effects of experimental weekend steady flows called "Bug Flows" (Macroinvertebrate Production Flows) designed to increase aquatic insect abundance in the river.
Read a recent study that investigated aquatic insect abundance and bat foraging activity:
Metcalfe, A.N., Fritzinger, C.A., Weller, T.J., Dodrill, M.J., Muehlbauer, J.D., Yackulic, C.B., Holton, P.B., Szydlo, C.M., Durning, L.E., Sankey, J.B., and Kennedy, T.A., 2023, Insectivorous bat foraging tracks the availability of aquatic flies (Diptera): The Journal of Wildlife Management, e22414, https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22414.
Safety Note: Bats and Rabies
Bats are known to carry rabies, which is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans and is fatal if untreated. Bats can spread rabies to humans through their saliva, via bites or scratches. It is important to never touch or handle bats, especially if they appear sick or are exhibiting unusual behavior such as being active during the day. Anyone who has had direct contact with a bat should seek medical consult, as rabies can only be confirmed through lab testing.