An international research team led by Daurina Koubinova has discovered five new species of vesper bats during a series of expeditions to Senegal’s Niokolo-Koba National Park. The new species are considered cryptic, because their genetic makeup is different despite physical similarities. The new bats have yet to be named. This was the first genetic study […]
Tag: bat
Dolphins, bats and the evolution of echolocation
A dolphin swimming through the world’s oceans after fish, and a bat flying through the air with its membranous wings to catch insects or eat fruit: at first glance, it looks like no two creatures could be more different. But it turns out they share a superpower – they hunt prey by emitting high-pitched sounds […]
Jahra Pools Reserve, Kuwait
Summer in Kuwait is searing hot and is traditionally a quiet birding month, however in late Spring we do have some species breeding at the Pools and mid-summer we have many Tern species breeding on the off-shore islands. Little Ringed Plovers (Charadrius dubius) have remained through the Spring and Summer and are suspected to be […]
Fewer bat sightings spark breeding fears
Britain’s bats could face difficulties this summer following two cold springs in a row, a charity suggests. Latest figures from the National Bat Monitoring Programme revealed that fewer of the flying mammals were counted in 2012 than the previous year. The Bat Conservation Trust is concerned that this year’s “unseasonable start” could mean that bats […]
Why endangered species need conservation champions
Without heroic conservationists many of today’s most beloved species would be extinct: think of pandas, tigers, and elephants. By single-mindly focused on saving a particular species, these conservation champions bring much-needed research, publicity, and, most importantly, targeted actions to keep an imperiled animal from the brink. Through their own exuberance, these heroes also gather others […]