BAT SURVEY DATA

2024

The annual CPP bat monitoring took place over a 2-night period in June with wildlife biologists from GADNR. The captured bats included 3 different species, including a Proposed Endangered species.

The total count was:

• 2 Seminole bats (Lasiurus seminolus)
• 7 Tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) – Proposed Endangered; some juveniles
• 10 Evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis)

Although biologists have captured tricolored bats on the Preserve before, being able to capture so many (especially juveniles) is especially exciting due to its Proposed Endangered status with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tricolored bats in north Georgia have declined significantly from white-nose syndrome, so the population persisting in south Georgia is of critical conservation importance. It is probable the tricolored bats captured were roosting at the Preserve as the juveniles are just now starting to fly and not likely to travel far from their roosts.

2023

The annual CPP bat monitoring took place over a 2-night period in September with wildlife biologists from GADNR. The captured bats included 3 different species, including a Georgia Species of Concern and a Proposed Endangered species.

The total count was:
• 1 Seminole bat (Lasiurus seminolus)
• 2 Northern yellow bats (Lasiurus intermedius) – Georgia Species of Concern
• 1 Tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) – Proposed Endangered

The northern yellow bat is a Georgia Species of Concern and a high priority species for the Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). Tricolored bats, a Proposed Endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has declined significantly from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that causes mortality to winter hibernating bats. The southern Georgia population is of critical conservation importance for this species in the state. In addition to the bats, the biologists captured many flying squirrels and heard a lot of owls in the area, indicating the nighttime wildlife at the Preserve are thriving.

2021

The annual CPP bat monitoring took place as part of bat blitz over a 3-night period in October with bat experts from GADNR and numerous other partners from as far as Kentucky participating in the event. The GBWG Bat Blitz captured 161 bats in total with 14 of them being captured at CPP. Impressively, the 14 captured at CPP included 5 different species, including a Georgia Species of Concern and a Proposed Endangered species.

The total count was:
• 4 evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis)
• 5 Seminole bats (Lasiurus seminolus)
• 2 Northern yellow bats (Lasiurus intermedius) – Georgia Species of Concern
• 2 big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus)
• 1 Tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) – Proposed Endangered

One of the Northern yellow bats captured was a recapture from 2018, which is the first recapture at this site. In addition to the recapture, GADNR also attached MOTUS tags to two bats-a Northern yellow and a Seminole bat at CPP. The MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System is an international collaborative network of researchers that use automated radio telemetry to simultaneously track hundreds of individuals of numerous species of birds, bats, and insects. GADNR staff have been tagging and tracking birds on the coast for several years using this system. GADNR currently has six towers on the Georgia coast, including one on St. Simons Island that will pick up signals from our tagged bats.

Tags are attached temporarily and should be picked up by the existing MOTUS towers when the bats fly by. This automated radio telemetry currently allows for the tracking of migratory bats over great distances. The tags are designed to last 60 days and for the first time, GADNR are attempting to tag bats as they are migrating down coastal corridors in the fall.

2019

GADNR conducted mist net-surveys in September resulting in the capture and release of nine bats. The successful survey captured and released two evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis), two northern yellow bats (Dasypterus intermedius) and one tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). The northern yellow bat is a species of concern in the state of Georgia and the tri-colored bat is listed as a Proposed Endangered species. These species were banded prior to release.

2018

GADNR conducted two surveys at the Preserve. The two surveys combined captured thirteen bats, two of which were northern yellow bats (Dasypterus intermedius) who were banded prior to release. In addition to the Northern yellow bats, nine evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) were captured and released. One of the evening bats was a female and one was a juvenile male. The remaining bats were all adult males and all looked healthy when observed by the biologists, with no signs of white nose syndrome or other ailments.

2017

GADNR captured and released eight bats while conducting mist-net surveys at Cannon’s Point Preserve. The captured bats included four evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis), three seminole bats (Lasiurus seminolus), and a northern yellow bat (Dasypterus intermedius). The male northern yellow bat was banded and released in the hopes that if it is caught again, a survey crew will be able to gain valuable information from it.

2015

GADNR mist-netted at Cannon’s Point Preserve but had to end the survey early due to inclement weather. One seminole bat, (Lasiurus seminoles) was captured and released.