Introduction to Advanced Bat Surveys

Description

This course is aimed at Class 2 licence holders who are either looking to take the next step in bat work and work towards their Class 3 or 4 bat licences (as consultants). The course may also be appropriate for those wanting to explore the requirements of research project licences (academic or voluntary) and it will explain the differences and similarities between the two.



It is broken down into two sessions: The first is a daytime session covering theory but also providing experience setting up and taking down harp trap and mist nets in daylight conditions, working in teams under supervision. An evening session (on a separate date) will follow, giving the attendees the chance to undertake an evening’s mist netting and harp trapping (under the trainer’s research project licence).



Day 1: Theory (in person at an indoor venue with outdoor space)

Licensing and legislation around advanced surveys

-What type of licence is appropriate
-What techniques are covered
-Process and lead time
-Guidance regarding method, timing and survey effort
-BCT and Eurobats guidelines
-How much to survey; how much equipment to deploy
-When to call it a night
-Logistics of planning and carrying out surveys
-Health and safety, biosecurity, rabies and SARS CoV-2
-Project plans, data management
-Equipment requirements
-Access and logistics planning

Practical: daytime setting up and taking down mist nets and harp traps

-Planning data collection
-Ways to collect and store data
-GDPR
-Data ownership
-Reporting requirements of your licence
-Analysis of data – what we can do
-How are advanced survey data relevant to consultants?
-What morphometrics and demographics can teach us
-What ringing and telemetry can teach us
-Working towards a Class 3 or 4 licence, or a research project licence
-What experience you need
-Referencing
-Ways to gain experience
-Prep for practical: What to expect from an evening’s trapping survey

Day 2: Evening Practical (in person at an outdoor venue)

-Siting and setting up harp traps and mist nets
-Setting up acoustic lures
-Setting up an efficient survey team and processing area
-Practical experience extracting bats from harp traps
-Practical experience taking morphometric measurements
-Observation of extraction from mist nets, ringing, other advanced techniques
-Data recording and management
-Taking down traps and nets

Who Should Attend?

- Class 2 bat licence holders wishing to begin working towards class 3 and 4 licences
- Class 2 bat licence holders wishing to begin research project development (perhaps those in the academia SIG)
- Class 2 bat licence holders wishing to gain more fieldwork, handling and ID experience
- Those with bat survey (and handling) experience but who have not yet undertaken advanced surveys

Knowledge Level

Intermediate - Advanced

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the legislation, licensing and safety protocol (for humans and bats) requirements around advance surveys
• Through theory/classroom training, plan survey logistics and schedules to achieve project aims, either as a consultant or as a researcher
• Through daytime practice sessions, practically set up and take down mist nets and harp traps, and set up acoustic lures
• Understand the key considerations of trap placement, survey design, biosecurity (with relation to Sars CoV-2) and bat welfare.
• Through practical fieldwork, gain handling and ID experience of bats, extract bats from harp traps, and learn the principles of extraction from mist nets, and record survey data in a robust and repeatable manner.

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