University of Wyoming Student’s Research to Protect Camp Guernsey Bat Population

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A conservation study focusing on Townsend's big-eared bat at Camp Guernsey could soon lead to groundbreaking management practices to protect the species across Wyoming.

Bat's Balcony, located within the camp, is one of the few known maternity colonies for Townsend's big-eared bat in Wyoming, making it an important site for understanding and safeguarding this bat population.

Julia Yearout, an M.S. student at the University of Wyoming, initiated this research to address the alarming population declines affecting Townsend's big-eared bats, said Amanda Thimmayya, natural resource program manager for the Wyoming Military Department. The research aims to identify specific stressors impacting this species, with results poised to provide insights for state and regional management practices.

"Bat populations have seen dramatic declines in the past two decades due to factors like disease, habitat loss, climate change and wind energy development," Yearout said. "There's so much we still don't understand about the basic behaviors of many bat species, and it's vital to fill these gaps to manage populations effectively."

Yearout's research has already brought important discoveries, especially for Camp Guernsey, where Bat's Balcony serves as a maternity roost site.

"Her work involves carefully monitoring the site with exit counts, interior winter surveys, DNA sampling and tracking with radio transmitters," Thimmayya said. "To gather a broader understanding of foraging behavior, Yearout and her team also conduct habitat captures in high-use areas around Camp Guernsey."

The research is expected to benefit Camp Guernsey by informing site-specific management practices that support this species' preservation. Long-term monitoring will continue through a variety of high-tech methods, including game cameras, acoustic detectors and climate sensors to record weather conditions and understand how they influence bat activity.

Yearout's findings at Bat's Balcony are already turning up valuable insights.

"One of the most interesting things has been seeing how young bats struggle to fly as well as adults, resulting in some amusing game camera footage as they interact with the roost gate," Yearout said. "It's also clear that Guernsey and Hartville are essential habitats for Townsend's big-eared bats because of the high-quality habitat and availability of roost sites in caves and mines."

Julia Yearout, an M.S. student in Dr. Bernard's lab at the University of Wyoming, gives a presentation about bats at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, to the elementary students at Guernsey Sunrise School, Oct. 11, 2024. She Julia Yearout initiated the research to address the alarming population declines affecting Townsend's big-eared bats. The research aims to identify specific stressors impacting this species, with results poised to provide insights for state and regional management practices. (U.S. Wyoming Army National Guard photo by Amanda Thimmayya)

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