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EnvironmentWildlife14TuesdayAugust62013ByRENEFRANCOEURNorthernbatswhowinterincavesjustoutsideofFortSmithinWoodBuffaloNationalParkhadarecenthangoutsessionwithtwofamiliarfacesfromtheUniversityofCalgary.ResearchersJesikaReimerandLauraKaupasinterestedinhowthenocturnalmam-malssurviveinthelandofthemidnightsunreturnedtotheThebachacampgroundsattheendofJulytocheckinwiththebatstheyvebeenfollowingforthepasttwosummers.Theyaretherstpairtotakeadetailedlookintothelifeandtimesofthewebbed-wingedcreaturesnorthofthe60thparallelintheNWTstudy-ingthreespecieslittlebrownbatsnorthernlongearedbatsandbigbrownbats.Nobodyhasreallydoneanyworkonbatsupheresotherstsummerwasallaboutgeneralsurveystuffwhatspeciesareherewhendotheycomeinsummerwhendotheyleave...andtryingtondthelocationofthematernitycoloniessaidReimerwhonishedherMastersofSciencedegreeinecologythisMay.ReimernoticedthefemalesgivebirthmuchlaterintheNorthshorteningtheamountoftimetheyhavetoputonfatforwinterhibernation.ButweobservedtheyarejustasfatasanybatdownsouthbeforewintersothesecondsummerwelookedintofeedingbehaviourRe-imer32andoriginallyofYellowknifesaid.WiththeNorthshighabun-danceofinsectsitturnedoutthatthebats-thoughtheymayhaveashorterperiodoftimetostockuptheirfatdeposits-eatmorethansouthernbatsduringthatperiod.Thatswhatwesawlastsummertheireatingbehav-iourisdifferentthandownsouth.TheyreactiveatcoolertemperaturestheyreactiveforalongerdurationoftimeandtheyadjusttheirfeedingbehaviourtocapitalizeonalltheinsectsintheareaRe-imersaid.Kaupastooktheinves-tigationastepfurtherdelvingintospecificsofthelittlebrownbatsdietandmadeasurprisingdiscovery.DownsouththeydonttypicallyeatspidersbutupheretheyreeatingspidersandotheruntypicalthingsthatareoutincoolertemperaturesKaupas23said.ThatinformationbecamethesourceofKaupasunder-gradresearch.ThissummeriswhatReimercalledatransitionsummer.IvenishedmythesisandLauraisstartingherMastersnextyearsowedecidedtocomeforaweekandcon-tinuetolookintobaselineinformationatourmaternitycoloniesReimersaid.ResearcherscatchupwithNorthernbatsInthecoloniesthewomenhavebeenbandingfemalebatstheyvenettedoverthepastfewyears.Wecaughtbatsthissummerthatwebandedlastyearandonesfromtwoyearsago.SonowwecanstartlookingatreproductiveratessurvivalratesthosesortofthingsReimersaid.Ithinkforthepublicthatsoneofthemostinterestingthingswearestartingtoknowthesebatsandtheirhistorytheirages.Theyeachhavetheirownnumberandsothetimemaycomewheretheremaybeagradstudentuphere20yearsfromnowthatisstillcatchingbatswebandedoriginally.Theresearchteamalsomadeaninterestingdiscov-erythissummerwiththelongearedbats-somethingKaupassaidsheslookingfor-wardtocontinuingtoworkonaroundtheFortSmithareaincomingyears.WedontknowtoomuchaboutthesespeciesanywhereinNorthAmericaReimersaid.Wecaughttwolactatingfemalelongearedbatsandputradiotransmittersonthemandfollowedthemtotheirroosts...Wefoundthisreallycoolareawithalltheseoldsnagshol-lowdeadtrees.SothiscanbesomethingLauracanlookatoverthenextcoupleofyears.CONGRATULATIONSONANOTHERSUCCESSFULPADDLEFESTIndustryTourismandInvestmentWELOOKFORWARDTOSEEINGYOUAGAINNEXTYEARPhotoReneFrancoeurJesikaReimerleftandLauraKaupasaretherstresearcherstotakeadetailedlookintobathabitsintheNWT.Room239ConfederationBuildingHouseofCommonsOttawaONK1A0A6TollFree1-866-992-4587Phone613992-4587Fax613992-15865014-50thAve.P.O.Box1986YellowknifeNTX1A2P5Tollfree1-800-661-0802Phone867873-6995Fax867920-4233www.dennisbevington.caCONGRATULATIONStotheorganizersparticipantsandspectatorswhohavemadethe2013SlaveRiverPaddlefestAGREATSUCCESS