One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats

Abstract The potential harm inflicted by forearm bands on bats has been debated for decades. To aid in decision‐making regarding bat marking, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of banding injuries using recapture data from a long‐term overwintering study in Georgia, USA, involving 776 banded tr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Santiago Perea, Emily A. Ferrall, Katrina M. Morris, Pete E. Pattavina, Steven B. Castleberry
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Conservation Science and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13269
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846126802400968704
author Santiago Perea
Emily A. Ferrall
Katrina M. Morris
Pete E. Pattavina
Steven B. Castleberry
author_facet Santiago Perea
Emily A. Ferrall
Katrina M. Morris
Pete E. Pattavina
Steven B. Castleberry
author_sort Santiago Perea
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The potential harm inflicted by forearm bands on bats has been debated for decades. To aid in decision‐making regarding bat marking, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of banding injuries using recapture data from a long‐term overwintering study in Georgia, USA, involving 776 banded tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) with 284 recaptures. Most recaptured bats showed no visible injuries (77.8%); however, 22.2% of bats presented varying degrees of band‐related injuries. Although <25% of tricolored bats exhibited banding‐related injuries, sublethal effects of injuries are unknown and could add additional stressors to bat populations already facing multiple threats, including mortality from white‐nose syndrome. Thus, we recommend that banding bats, especially species that have experienced white‐nose syndrome‐related population declines, be appropriately justified and their use carefully considered. Our study contributes valuable knowledge to aid in informed decision‐making on the use of capture‐mark‐recapture methods in the research and management of bat communities.
format Article
id doaj-art-84e3a5e05b764bc2b9835006bd53e134
institution Kabale University
issn 2578-4854
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Conservation Science and Practice
spelling doaj-art-84e3a5e05b764bc2b9835006bd53e1342024-12-12T08:54:01ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542024-12-01612n/an/a10.1111/csp2.13269One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored batsSantiago Perea0Emily A. Ferrall1Katrina M. Morris2Pete E. Pattavina3Steven B. Castleberry4Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens Georgia USAWildlife Conservation Section Georgia Department of Natural Resources Social Circle Georgia USAWildlife Conservation Section Georgia Department of Natural Resources Social Circle Georgia USAUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services Athens Georgia USAWarnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens Georgia USAAbstract The potential harm inflicted by forearm bands on bats has been debated for decades. To aid in decision‐making regarding bat marking, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of banding injuries using recapture data from a long‐term overwintering study in Georgia, USA, involving 776 banded tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) with 284 recaptures. Most recaptured bats showed no visible injuries (77.8%); however, 22.2% of bats presented varying degrees of band‐related injuries. Although <25% of tricolored bats exhibited banding‐related injuries, sublethal effects of injuries are unknown and could add additional stressors to bat populations already facing multiple threats, including mortality from white‐nose syndrome. Thus, we recommend that banding bats, especially species that have experienced white‐nose syndrome‐related population declines, be appropriately justified and their use carefully considered. Our study contributes valuable knowledge to aid in informed decision‐making on the use of capture‐mark‐recapture methods in the research and management of bat communities.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13269bat health assessmentconservationforearm bandPerimyotis subflavuswhite‐nose syndromewildlife tagging
spellingShingle Santiago Perea
Emily A. Ferrall
Katrina M. Morris
Pete E. Pattavina
Steven B. Castleberry
One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats
Conservation Science and Practice
bat health assessment
conservation
forearm band
Perimyotis subflavus
white‐nose syndrome
wildlife tagging
title One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats
title_full One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats
title_fullStr One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats
title_full_unstemmed One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats
title_short One ring does not fit all: Evaluation of banding‐related injuries in tricolored bats
title_sort one ring does not fit all evaluation of banding related injuries in tricolored bats
topic bat health assessment
conservation
forearm band
Perimyotis subflavus
white‐nose syndrome
wildlife tagging
url https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13269
work_keys_str_mv AT santiagoperea oneringdoesnotfitallevaluationofbandingrelatedinjuriesintricoloredbats
AT emilyaferrall oneringdoesnotfitallevaluationofbandingrelatedinjuriesintricoloredbats
AT katrinammorris oneringdoesnotfitallevaluationofbandingrelatedinjuriesintricoloredbats
AT peteepattavina oneringdoesnotfitallevaluationofbandingrelatedinjuriesintricoloredbats
AT stevenbcastleberry oneringdoesnotfitallevaluationofbandingrelatedinjuriesintricoloredbats