Relocate bat colonies roosting inside dams

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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Background information and definitions

Bats have been reported roosting within the internal compartments of large dams, which may become flooded during water release. Roosts should be identified and relocated prior to flooding.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of relocating bat colonies inside dams on bat populations. The study was in Argentina.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (1 STUDY)

Abundance (1 study): One study in Argentinafound that almost two-thirds of a large colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats relocated to a different dam compartment five months after being displaced from six compartments where the colony originally roosted.

BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A study in 2002–2003 at one dam reservoir in Tucumán Province, Argentina (Regidor et al 2003) found that almost two-thirds of a large colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats Tadarida brasiliensis relocated to a different internal dam compartment after being displaced from the six compartments where the colony originally roosted. Approximately 1,400,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats were estimated to be roosting in one dam compartment five months after the displacement of a colony of approximately 2,000,000 bats from six of the seven dam compartments where it previously roosted. The study was conducted inside a dam wall (100 m long, 90 m high). The wall housed seven compartments used by Brazilian free-tailed bats. In October 2012, bats were deterred from six of the seven compartments using high intensity lights and naphthalene vapour. Once empty of bats, the dam compartments were sealed with metal doors. Bat numbers were estimated by three observers based on the area occupied by each single bat. Bats were counted three times between October 2002 and March 2003.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Regidor H., Mosa S. & Núñez A. (2003) Confinement of a colony of Tadarida brasiliensis, a management alternative compatible with conservation. Chiroptera Neotropical, 9, 157-162.

Please cite as:

Berthinussen, A., Richardson O.C. and Altringham J.D. (2021) Bat Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bat Conservation

Related Actions

	Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
	Create or maintain small dams to provide foraging and drinking habitat for bats Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link
	Relocate bat colonies roosting inside dams Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link