Alberta Bat Action Team

About the team

The Alberta Bat Action Team (ABAT) is a working group of enthusiastic people with a common goal of improving bat conservation and management within Alberta. ABAT is forging ahead with innovative programs aimed at conservation and management of bat species that reside in or migrate through the province.

ABAT membership

ABAT has strong representation from:

• consulting companies
• government
• industry
• the public
• universities

All members have previous experience with bats and a passion for improving our understanding and management of the nine species that occur in the province.

Programs

ABAT provides information and guidance to the government. Examples include:

• assisting with development of protocols to monitor bat mortality at wind farms
• working with the Alberta Speleological Society to develop decontamination protocols for cavers
• providing information on bat species habitat use
• identifying potential population declines
• identifying research priorities and data gaps

Publications

ABAT provides recommendations regarding the development of standards for bat inventory, data collection, and data storage. Further, the group sets priorities with regard to information gaps and research needs that have direct bearing on improved bat conservation in Alberta.

Inventory and Research Protocols

Sensitive Species Inventory Guidelines
Refer to this page for the following wildlife inventory guidelines related to bats in Alberta:

• Bats and Wind Turbines: Pre-Siting and Pre-Construction Survey Protocols
• Handbook of Inventory Methods and Standard Protocols for Surveying Bats in Alberta
• Standard Data Sheets for Bat Surveys in Alberta

The Sensitive Species Inventory Guidelines document also contains a section on bats.

Wildlife Research and Collection
Visit this page for the following bat-related wildlife research protocols:

• Class Protocol 004: Bat Capture, Handling and Release
• Addendum to Class Protocol 004: Bat Handling Protocol to Prevent Spread of White Nose Syndrome

Western Canada Bat Network

ABAT is a founding member of the Western Canada Bat Network (WBCN), comprised of bat biologists from western provinces and territories, and some USA states. The WBCN produces newsletters twice a year to share bat related news and facilitate discussion and collaboration.

ABAT is Alberta's representative in the Western Bat Working Group (WBWG). The WBWG is a partner in the Coalition of North American Bat Working Groups and a registered non-profit organization comprising agencies, organizations and individuals interested in bat research, management and conservation.

The Western Bat Working Group, the Western Canada Bat Network and the Alberta Bat Action Team represent a hierarchy of working groups, each facilitating communication about bat conservation, research and management on different geographic scales.