Project Akustika is designed to fill the knowledge gaps on local bat species in Malta and Gozo. It will set the first steps towards gaining a national overview of what bat species are present, their distribution and status in 2018 and 2019. This will in turn encourage authorities to consider bats in large-scale land development, including restoration works. The project will address this by contributing to the scientific knowledge of these species through standardised, publicly accessible methods. These methods will allow repeated surveys over the years and within different habitats to future research, and present bat ecology as a valuable research activity. Since its launch, project Akustika has gathered over 50 new volunteers, organised two sets of surveys in 14 sites, participated in four events, and held two of its own.

The project is the first of its kind to utilise citizen science to collect data on Maltese bat species. A citizen scientist is a member of society who carries out scientific work under the supervision of professional scientists within, in this case, Green House and its project partners.

Since its launch in late August 2018, Akustika has already had its first two research activities. Mist netting was carried out across the Maltese islands in September, led by experts in the field from the Belgian organisation Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation (BINCO). Mist nets are specialised equipment intended to capture bats while they are commuting. The captured bats can then be sexed, measured, identified, checked for parasites, sampled and released unharmed. The nets, classified as restricted equipment, were erected in several localities around Malta and Gozo, after being licensed by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA).

In October, Akustika citizen scientists carried out surveys of urban areas, which in Malta are highly utilised by bats. Some species have adapted to use features such as street lights, which attract insects, as feeding areas. A preliminary study has found that urban green areas are highly important as potential feeding and watering grounds for bats, and promote connectivity between the urban and natural environment.

The project will continue to survey these species within different habitats in spring, summer and autumn of next year. Interested volunteers are encouraged to follow Greenhouse Malta’s Facebook page or send an e-mail to green.uom@gmail.com.

Akustika is part of the Malta Biodiversity monitoring network (MABIMO) and is a collaborative effort between Greenhouse Malta, BINCO (Belgium), SWILD (Switzerland), the Malta Natural History Museum, Malta Bat Conservation Society and David Dodds Associates (Scotland). All relevant activities are held under permit by the ERA.

Elena Portelli is a Wildlife Biology and Conservation graduate with a special interest in ecology, particularly human-wildlife interactions. Through her Masters thesis she explored the relationship between bats and the urban environment, which sparked her fascination with these charismatic species. She now works in ecological research.

Did you know?

• Only three species of ‘vampire bats’ species exist that feed solely on blood. They are found in South America and very rarely consume human blood – they mainly feed on wild mammals and birds.

• Bats are the only true flying mammal; mammals such as the flying squirrel only glide.

• Chiroptera (bats) make up around 20 per cent of the world’s mammals. Over 1,200 species are documented.

• All mammals can contract rabies. It is possible to contract rabies through a bite from an infected animal.

• In Malta we have five genera of bats: Pipistrelles, Hypsugo, Myotis (Mouse-eared), Rhinolopus (Horseshoe) and Plecotus (Long-eared)

For more trivia, see: www.um.edu.mt/think

Sound bites

The ‘risks’

• Bats have a bad reputation as reservoirs for disease. Bats are known vectors of the rabies virus, however the incidence of infected bats is less than one per cent. The risk of contracting rabies mainly exists for people in direct and frequent contact with the species, such as researchers and workers in bat rescue centres. To mitigate this risk, gloves should be worn at all times when handling bats, and  handlers should take rabies vaccinations and boosters. For citizens with no knowledge of bats, contact with bats is categorically unadvisable. Unless under specific licences issued by the authorities, it is illegal to handle these animals, as they are highly sensitive to disturbance. It is advised to go to a hospital immediately, if a bat bites someone or inhales a significant amount of spores from guano, (excrement of bats). Malta is designated as a rabies-free country however; it is always advisable to take all necessary precautions.

https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/idpcu/Pages/A%20to%20Z%20of%20infectious%20diseases/rabies.aspx

Bat cuisine around the world

• Bats around the world feed on a variety of materials. All species found in Malta are insectivorous, which means that they feed solely on insects. Different bats in Malta, depending on their size, habitat and specialisation, can consume all mosquitoes, flies, beetles, moths and grasshoppers. In the tropics, the majority of bats are frugivorous – they eat fruit. Unlike typical Microchiroptera that feed at night using echolocation to hunt their prey, fruit bats are diurnal, i.e. awake during the day, and use their sharp eyesight to find fruit trees to feed on. There are species that feed off rivers and lakes, on frogs and small fish (e.g. the Fringe-lipped bat is a specialised frog hunter, tracking their mating calls). The greater noctule bat is specialised in bird hunting. Lizards and other small mammals can be suitable prey. The ghost bat and the spectral bat actually feed on other bats. On the other hand, bats are consumed in several Asian and Pacific Rim countries and cultures, despite the threats this custom causes to the species populations, and public health.

https://www.britannica.com/animal/Old-World-fruit-bat

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