In my last post, I described how we capture flying foxes, but didn't get into what we actually do once we have caught them! So here is an update on that aspect of my work.
The first step is putting the bat under anesthesia. Flying foxes are VERY squirmy, and it is safer for everyone to have them sedated while we are taking samples. We use inhalant isoflurane administered through a mask, which will usually put a bat to sleep in just a minute or two. The hardest part is actually finding the bat's head while it is still in the pillowcase, and placing the mask on top. Sometimes you will wonder why a bat is taking longer to go down than usual, and then you'll realize that you've been trying to anesthetize its rear end. Once the bat's legs have gone limp, we take it out of the pillowcase and start collecting data.
The first step is putting the bat under anesthesia. Flying foxes are VERY squirmy, and it is safer for everyone to have them sedated while we are taking samples. We use inhalant isoflurane administered through a mask, which will usually put a bat to sleep in just a minute or two. The hardest part is actually finding the bat's head while it is still in the pillowcase, and placing the mask on top. Sometimes you will wonder why a bat is taking longer to go down than usual, and then you'll realize that you've been trying to anesthetize its rear end. Once the bat's legs have gone limp, we take it out of the pillowcase and start collecting data.
A spectacled flying fox with his anesthesia mask on.
The first things we measure are individual characteristics of the bat, like its species, sex, and age. We also measure its weight and forearm length as indicators of its condition. Then we start taking samples; for my PhD research, this includes fur, urine, and blood. Each of these samples can tell us different things about the bat it came from (topics for another post...).
Forearm measurement with calipers. Despite the open eye, this bat is safely sedated.
Once we have recorded all the information we need, we place the bat back into a clean pillowcase. We make sure that it has recovered from the anesthesia before releasing it back into the colony. Flying foxes cannot take off from the ground, so they need to be either released directly into the air or onto a tree. An air release means holding the bat as high up as you can with your gloved hand, otherwise it will try to climb up to the highest spot (i.e. your head). A tree release involves finding a rough tree trunk that the bat can grab onto with its claws. Bats are great climbers, and will quickly scramble up high before flapping away (likely a bit perplexed about what they have just experienced, but none the worse for wear).
Taking a quick look before climbing out of the pillowcase.
RSS Feed
