The Story
“Why Texas Bats Need a Better Commute”
https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/why-texas-bats-need-a-better-commute/
by Lauren Schneider
Texas Monthly, November 11, 2024
The Pitch
Just like humans, bats want a more efficient commute.
Bats are a crucial part of Texas ecosystems, with an important role in managing pests like mosquitos. However, urban development has disrupted bat habitats, threatening local biodiversity. Researchers from Texas Christian University believe that more thoughtful urban forestry practices can make it easier for bats to move through a city, locating food and avoiding predators.
Between 2022 and 2023, the team measured bat flight activity in and around Fort Worth, noting how different kinds of trees influenced travel patterns. They published their results in Wildlife Biology in September 2024.
The researchers noticed more bat commuting activity along pathways with taller trees and fewer gaps in canopy cover but without overly dense canopies. They concluded that interconnected corridors with these characteristics will allow bats to travel freely throughout their urban habitat.
These findings could have broader implications than bat conservation; the team considers bats an “indicator species” that can help researchers understand how other animals navigate urban environments, leading to more wildlife-friendly city planning.
I would love to cover this team’s work in an 800-word piece for the Critters section of the Texas Monthly website, which I can deliver by next Friday, October 25 — just in time for Halloween. So far, I have interviewed the lead author of the paper, Manuel de Oyarzabal Barba, and have an upcoming interview with Tory Bennett, who supervised the research.
To round out the story, I have scheduled an interview with Kate Rugroden of Bat World Sanctuary for her perspective on the importance of urban bat conservation. Finally, I will speak to Eric Wettengel, Urban Forestry Manager at the Texas Trees Foundation, about how bat conservation may complement or conflict with other priorities in urban forestry.
I am a freelance science writer pursuing a master’s degree through the Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program at New York University. I was raised in Texas and have great affection for the state’s bat population, particularly after attending college at UT Austin.