SAS Monthly Program & Membership Meeting: Monday, March 10th
Montana’s Mysterious Bats: Guardians of the Night, with Wildlife Biologist Matt Bell
Join us for our March Membership Meeting as Matt Bell takes us on an exploration of the fascinating world of bats, with a special focus on the bat species found in Montana. Delve into several key topics, starting with the evolutionary journey of bats as we trace their origins and the development of their unique characteristics over millions of years. The program will highlight the remarkable adaptations that enable bats to thrive in diverse environments, including their specialized wings, nocturnal habits, and echolocation abilities. The crucial roles bats play in ecosystems, such as pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal, are ecosystem services to be discussed which emphasize their significance in maintaining ecological balance around the world and in Montana.
Matt will provide insights into the diversity of bat species globally and in Montana, and help us understand their varied habitats, behaviors, conservation status, and the unique challenges they face in our region. The threats Montana’s bats encounter, including wind energy development, White-nose Syndrome, and human activities, will all be discussed. Matt will introduce us to the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) and the efforts to monitor the impacts of White-nose Syndrome on bat populations. Finally, we will explore the science behind echolocation, the sophisticated biological sonar system bats use to navigate and hunt in the dark. By sharing his knowledge and experiences, Matt aims to foster a deeper appreciation for bats and encourage conservation efforts to protect these vital yet often misunderstood creatures.
About Our Speaker
Matt has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana. He spent his undergraduate summers on the Montana amphibian and reptile survey crew collecting baseline data on their status and distribution in Montana. He went on to work for the USFS in Ennis and later for the Montana DNRC. Matt is currently the GIS Manager for the Montana Land Reliance, a non-profit conserving over 1.3 million acres of agricultural land and critical wildlife habitat in Montana.
Matt has been an education volunteer with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for the past 14 years, specializing in bat, amphibian, and reptile programs. Each summer, Matt leads numerous bat walks at Spring Meadow Lake State Park and for Gates of the Mountains State Park (bat boat tours). Matt also volunteers to collect bat acoustic data for the NAbat study, a nationwide effort to determine where bat populations are being affected by White-nose Syndrome.
The in-person meeting will be held Monday, March 10, 2025 at Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 West Graf (off S. 19th). A social begins at 6:30 PM; the program begins at 7:00 PM. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable cups.
For virtual attendance, please register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2749095074675922014
Attendees—whether in person or virtual—are encouraged to share their bird sightings at this and every monthly program.
SAS monthly programs are free and open to the public, featuring a special guest speaker the 2nd Monday of each month, September through May. For more information, contact Ken Sinay at programs@sacajaweaaudubon.org
