Bats in green areas of Albacete

Between October 5 and 8, 2016, in the hall of the La Asunción Cultural Center in Albacete, the III Conference on the Natural Environment of Albacete.

Ideas MedioAmbiental wanted to participate in this important scientific event by presenting a communication in the form of a poster, under the title Contribution to the knowledge of bats (O. Chiroptera) and proposals to improve their habitat in green areas of Albacete and whose objective has been none other than to highlight this faunistic group among citizens, as well as to contribute to the adoption of measures for the conservation of different species.

The study has been carried out in green areas of the city of Albacete, specifically in the “Periurban Park”.La Pulgosa” and Urban Parks”Abelardo Sánchez“,”Line Parkuntol“,”Gardenillos” and”Tree Festival”.

The information presented in this work is the result of work carried out between June and September 2016. These works consisted of recording ultrasound sequences using a Pettersson D-240X expanded time detector connected to a recorder. The recordings have been made at fixed listening points, using linear transects on foot and linear transects on bicycles.

Subsequently, the type and shape of the recorded echolocation signal is analyzed, as well as its different characteristics: maximum energy frequency, bandwidth, interval between pulses and pulse duration. For the analysis, the ultrasound analysis software BatExplorer from Elekon AG was used, which allows us to arrive at a specific identification.

The results obtained are of great interest, since they confirm the presence in the green areas of Albacete of seven different species, species. Pipistrellus kuhlii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Eptesicus isabellinus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Nyctalus leisleri, Tadarida teniotis and Nyctalus lasiopterus. As well as 1 genre (Myotis) without specific determination. This means that 25% of the species present in Castilla La Mancha are present in these areas of study, and opens the door to quantitative studies and the habitat of Albacete bats.

As a conclusion to the work, management and conservation measures are also proposed for this highly threatened group.

You can see the poster presented here: