Acoustic monitoring of bats: experience of organization in protected areas of Podillia

Most of the available data on bats in the national park are related to the monitoring of their number in wintering sites, and the study of summering bat populations remains an important task for further monitoring of biodiversity of the Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park. Bats are an important indicator group of animals for assessing the state of conservation of faunal groups and studying the dynamics of biodiversity of nature reserves. Bats depend on the availability of suitable sites and are the first to respond to changes in the natural habitat. Acoustic monitoring was carried out using an Echo Meter Touch Ultrasonic Modules detector and a Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite smartphone. The analysis of sound signals was performed in the Echo Meter software (version 2.7.23) from Wildlife Acoustics, as well as in the Kaleidoscope bat software. Bats were also trapped using mist nets. Natural shelters were inspected using a Trotec BO26 professional endoscope. Ten species of bats were studied: Myotis nattereri, Myotis daubentonii, Plecotus auritus, Barbastella barbastellus, Nyctalus leisleri, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, and Eptesicus serotinus. The most common are species of the genus Pipistrellus and the species Nyctalus noctula (47.5%). River valleys are important migration corridors for migratory animal species. Seasonal activity of bats on survey transects is characterized by two peaks: spring (May) and autumn (September) migration periods. Acoustic activity of bats on survey transects lasts for eight months, from March to November. Autumn migration activity is longer than in spring. In the first decade of October, several thousand individuals of Nyctalus noctula were recorded flying in the valley of the Muksha River, near Tarasivka village, Kamianets-Podilsky Raion. The obtained data will improve the performance of work on assessing the state of conservation of faunal groups and changes in natural ecosystems. Preliminary results of the study will contribute to the organization of the program of acoustic monitoring of bats of the Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park.