"Nobody has looked at whether [fenced reserves] could potentially be a conservation measure for bats."

Bats are the second most-diverse order of mammals, in Australia and around the world, and provide vital ecosystem services like pest control and pollination. However, more than 30 percent of bat species are threatened, largely due to habitat alteration and introduced predators.

In this episode, UNSW Sydney PhD student Oli Aylen joins us to discuss this fascinating group of animals and to outline his research on the role of fenced conservation reserves on bat communities in arid zones.

The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Oli works on the lands of the Wangkumara and Kokatha people.

Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au.

Episode image credit: Oli Aylen.