Workshops

Conservation & Management

North American venues for 2013: Arizona

Because bats are active mostly at night, they present unique challenges to wildlife biologists and naturalists trying to study their habitats and behaviors.

Reliable information about the resources and natural history of local bat species is essential in managing for their protection or continued survival. Recognizing this, BCI has developed a comprehensive curriculum for an introductory field workshop designed to train serious students of bat conservation in current bat research and management techniques. In this intensive 6-day, 5-night program, BCI biologists and professional colleagues conduct a combination of lectures and discussions, field trips to examine bat habitats, and hands-on training to capture and identify bats.

Because of the threat of White-nose Syndrome, participants at all BCI workshops will learn and follow approved decontamination guidelines. Workshop participants must read and sign the “WNS Decontamination Agreement” available below.

Participants gain experience with various capture techniques, including mist-netting and harp-trapping. They use and compare the relative efficacy of night-vision observation, bat detectors, Anabat and SonoBat echolocation-analysis software, radiotracking devices and light-tagging and other marking devices. An array of additional bat-study equipment and resources are also demonstrated. Each workshop venue highlights local bat conservation and management initiatives as valuable case-study examples.

Please note: a basic level of fitness is required for the workshops. Participants should be able to hike one mile over uneven terrain, carrying personal gear and a portion of the workshop equipment.

Arizona
Our field location at the American Museum of Natural History’s renowned Southwestern Research Station in the Chiricahua Mountains puts us within easy commuting distance to diverse habitats, from lowland deserts to coniferous forests and an amazing diversity of bat species. Activities emphasize bat identification and habitat assessment. Students can expect to catch and release as many as 18 species in a single evening, then return to the lodge and watch endangered long-nosed bats visit hummingbird feeders outside the front door.

Idionycteris phyllotis (Lappet-eared bat) caught at 2012 BCI workshop in AZ

Participants have also enjoyed spotting ring-tailed cats, coatis and trogons. Expert instructors share a wealth of knowledge on species identification (including acoustic identification), bat conservation, management, education and outreach, public health and nuisance issues, artificial habitats and much more. Participants will practice radiotracking a bat back to its roost, view an emergence of Mexican free-tailed bats from a local cave and learn bat-capture techniques that can be applied to any habitat in North America.

One Session: June 10-15, 2013

Cost: $1,595

Payment & Registration

Learn more about this workshop: Notes from the Field (Arizona), View Footage (wmv).

The Fine Print - IMPORTANT

The cost of the workshop covers course materials, food, lodging and all transportation in the field. Applicants must make their own travel arrangements to and from the workshop site. Participants are encouraged to carpool and BCI will facilitate connecting those wishing to ride-share. Participants attending the Arizona workshop can find convenient air travel into the Tucson International Airport (TUS).

Single-room occupancy accommodations are not available. Housing is dormitory style with 2 - 6 people sharing a room.

Because participants will be handling wild bats during the course of these workshops, rabies pre-exposure vaccinations are required. For information on obtaining this vaccine, contact your local health department, travel clinic, or personal physician. Prices for the vaccine series (3 separate injections) vary from state to state but can be quite costly. Please plan accordingly for this additional expense. See “Pre-exposure rabies vaccination info” below for additional information about the rabies vaccine.

Registration for these workshops is on a first-come, first-served basis. The workshop sessions frequently fill to capacity, so be sure to submit your form as soon as possible. Submission instructions are provided on the registration forms below. Once your registration materials have been received, you will receive an e-mail confirmation (within 5 business days) along with a request to provide a $300 deposit and detailed information on payment options.

For more information contact the Education and Workshops Coordinator at workshops@batcon.org) or 512-327-9721.

Additional information and forms:

	Pre-exposure rabies vaccination info
	WNS Decontamination Agreement
	Scholarship Information & Application Form
	Sample Agenda

Please note:

ALL refunds regardless of payment method will be charged a 10% administrative surcharge. Cancellations made 45 days prior to the workshop will be granted a refund. Participants canceling after this deadline will only be granted a refund if BCI is able to fill the spot in the workshop. Cancellations must be in writing and sent via e-mail, post or FAX and are effective upon receipt.

What past participants had to say about the workshop:
"This is an excellent mix of classroom lecture and hands on field work experience."

"The event was excellent and exceeded my expectations."

"I don't believe I've ever learned more in a five day period."

"The course content, hands on experience and teaching are great."

"The hands-on experience was very pertinent and I feel a lot more comfortable setting up nets, traps and handling bats."

"It exceeded my educational expectations."

"The lectures were great - always interesting and very informative."

"There was a wide variety of expertise among the bat professionals."

"Very good for serious bat workers and educators."

"Without a doubt, take this course."

"The netting and trapping field trips were incredibly instructional."

"Instructor to student time was excellent."

"The instructors' knowledge and enthusiasm made for a very good workshop experience."

Last Updated: Thursday, 27 December 2012