The next North Shore Audubon Society (NSAS) general meeting will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, Oct 26, 2021, at 7pm.
Our presentation will be "Northern Long-eared bats in Coastal Populations: The Implications of Novel Hibernation Behaviors and Winter Foraging on White Nose Syndrome” by Casey Pendergast. Free admission. All are invited - you do not need to be a NSAS member to attend. Since its discovery in 2007, the fungal disease known as White Nose Syndrome has devastated North American bat populations with fatalities numbering in the millions. While the disease appears to affect only hibernating bats, the severity of that infection and the resulting mortality varies between species. The Northern long-eared bat appears to be the most susceptible to the effects of the disease. Already this species has experienced declines of 90-99% throughout it’s range. This threat of irreversible population declines has led to its listing as a federally Threatened species. However, recent research in the coastal regions of NY and MA have revealed island populations that appear to be persisting despite infection with the disease. The research from my lab utilizes radiotracking of bats, ultrasonic acoustic bat recordings and community science insect surveys to explore how these coastal bats are able to break the disease cycle. Ultimately it is a combination of novel hibernation behaviors and the unique environmental conditions of the coastal climate that are critical to the survival of the last remaining robust populations of Northern long-eared bats. Casey Pendergast is a bat biologist who has spent the past five years researching the bat species of New York State, most specifically in the wake of the devastating fungal disease White Nose Syndrome (WNS). Her work as an employee of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has afforded her the opportunity to work to conserve bat populations throughout the epicenter of the disease here in New York. She is currently completing her Masters thesis at SUNY Albany where she studies the effects of WNS on the coastal populations of the federally threatened Northern long-eared bats. She is actively working with local organizations to help build an urban community science based bat program on Long Island. Pre-registration is required for this Zoom meeting. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudu6vrjgpHtDnddnfh47LhaGLgX1Bsih7 <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudu6vrjgpHtDnddnfh47LhaGLgX1Bsih7&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw1xGpG_q8W042MfNVjNVkpi> After registering, you will receive a link to join the meeting. If the above link does not work correctly, please use our website calendar http://northshoreaudubon.org/calendar/ <http://northshoreaudubon.org/calendar/> For more information on NSAS programs and weekly walks, see www.northshoreaudubon.org/calendar <http://www.northshoreaudubon.org/calendar> Hope to see you on Zoom! Nancy Tognan Publicity volunteer, North Shore Audubon Society, PO Box 763, Port Washington, NY 11050 www.northshoreaudubon.org <http://www.northshoreaudubon.org/> nancy.tog...@gmail.com <mailto:nancy.tog...@gmail.com> -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
