Study on bat calls to conserve species

Rosetta Stone is a software for language learning, developed by the American company Rosetta Stone Ltd and used by over five million users in 150 countries. PUNE: The Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environmental Education and Research (BVIEER) has begun a study on echolocation calls of 30 species of insectivorous bats in the Western Ghats and other areas of Maharashtra using bat detectors. At present, there is no baseline data on echolocation frequencies for Indian bat species. Echolocation is the release of ultrasound frequency which bats rely on to catch their prey. The frequency of emission is species specific. A bat can sense an object's size, shape, direction, distance, and motion through echolocation. It is so accurate that bats can detect objects as fine as human hair. The study's database will be useful in identifying important areas of bat conservation by Learn Indian eliminating threats to their existence. The department of science and technology has funded Rs 28 lakh for the study. Kranti Yardi, faculty at the institute, told TOI that despite the diversity and the importance of insectivorous bat species, little is known of their ecology or the impact of disturbance processes. "The baseline data once developed by BVIEER for each species will help conduct various studies on insectivorous bats in India. The study will help understand the ecology of different species and factors affecting the bat population and their roosting habits,'' she said. Yardi said that the noseleaf and ears of insectivorous bats are modified to send out frequencies. Bats then capture them with the help of the ears. This helps them to locate the prey. Echolocation or ultrasound detection field technique is a conservation tool that helps understand the ecology of different species. Bat detectors are extensively used abroad in studies that look into the habitat use of different species which is useful for conservation research. Yardi said that bats being nocturnal and flying mammals, their identification and role in a particular habitat is difficult to study. The study will use ultrasonic bat detectors and software will be used. Bat detectors emit calls in audible frequency that enables the identification of the species. These frequencies are analysed by a software, that will help prepare a database of calls for various bat species in the Western Ghats. As of now there is sketchy information about their preferred habitats, factors influencing the population density, or the status of various species in different parts of the country. Moreover, bats are disappearing at a rapid rate because of the drying of water sources, habitat destruction like declining tree cover, increasing developmental activities, renovation of old wadas and temples, she said. "We have no information on species specific to forest dwelling, or the impact due to degraded forest area. Bats require moist conditions and they are sensitive to humidity. Climate change has brought a longer dry season and decrease in humidity. Hence, it is important to study the impact,'' she added.
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