Alabaster Caverns Bat Count 2016 - page 3


   

Alabaster Caverns Bat Count - 2016 (ABC16)

Thursday - January 28, 2016

This year the bat count has some special guests. Seems there was a multi-day workshop for Oklahoma State Park Naturalists in NW Oklahoma. So as part of their training (and experience) they were asked to come and help out with the annual Alabaster Caverns Bat Count. About 23 people participated in this years bat count consisting of people from the Oklahoma State Parks, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and private individual bat specialists. These pictures sorta tell the story of the count.

NOTE: There are many pictures of the same bat or mat of bats from different angles. These are on here for scientists to do detail study in the monitoring of White Nose Syndrome (WNS). (Though we are sure there is none in the cave as the bats all looked healthy).

Click on any photo to see an enlarged version. This will bring up a 40% sized picture. To see the full size (3000x4000 px) click on the link below each picture labeled full size picture.

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Then you pop back out right by the trail with a helping hand to pull you up and out!
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This myotis had an old injury.... He's healed up but look like something got him good!!
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double click and get the full size picture to see this... they grasp the rock with their feet...
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Photo opportunity.... Me and my bats.... Bats are #1
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Me and my new friends Toward the end of the cave trail, the bats started to get more numerous.
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Of all of the counts we've done in the cave, can't say I've ever seen on on the pillars before!!
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He just sort-of blended in and many passed him by...
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Then Mike did some swabbing (part of WNS testing) on a mat of bats.
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We will take samples from about 6 western Oklahoma caves and send them in for testing to see if WNS is here. Though we don't expect it here, you never know... and it makes a good baseline if it does come.
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Near the exit the mats started appearing. Good sized ones too!
   

Click on any photo to see an enlarged version. On the bottom of each picture is fullsize option.



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Last updated: 1/29/16