New method for tracking Reunion free-tailed bats

The nocturnal and discreet nature of bats makes them enigmatic animals, and their ecology remains largely a mystery. Long-term passive mark-resight studies offers numerous opportunities to better understand their demographics and movements. The PIMIT lab is thus testing a passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag technology, which involves the subcutaneous implantation of a miniature chip that allows for the identification of each individual. This method serves as a complementary approach to the monitoring of Reunion free-tailed bats, which has been carried out using tattooing since 2018 on Reunion Island.

As part of the project MAESTRO, a field mission was carried out by several chiropterologists from the PIMIT lab, in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History (CACCHI platform, UMR CESCO & Patrinat -OFB-MNHN-CNRS-IRD), and the naturalist associations Nature Environnement 17 and Charente Nature. Bats were handled by qualified scientists with the proper authorizations, following the acquisition of necessary regulatory approvals and a favorable review from an ethics committee.

Bats were successfully equipped with electromagnetic pittags. Using manual or automatic detection systems (antennas), bats are re-detected and thus tracked without the need for physical recapture, thereby causing less disturbance. Data collection is ongoing and is expected to yield promising results…