Recording Bustle Behind the Silence
By Izzati, Ain, Mimi and Atiqah, Penang Bats Team
Penang Island, renowned for its rich biodiversity, is home to a variety of bat species that play crucial roles in the ecosystem. However, the increasing urbanization and habitat destruction pose significant threats to these nocturnal creatures. To address these challenges, we have started deploying bat detectors across the island, dividing the sites into two main regions: northern and southern region. The chosen sites represent varying levels of urbanization, including forest, secondary forest, and urban areas. The different sites offer unique habitats and environmental conditions that influence bat behavior, population dynamics, and species diversity. By deploying bat detectors in these diverse settings, we can assess their habitat preferences, monitor the urbanization impact on bat populations as well as their activity pattern.
At each of these selected sites, we deployed Song Meter SM4BAT FS ultrasonic recorders. These advanced devices are designed to capture the ultrasonic echolocation calls of bats, providing us with precise data on bat activity and species presence across different habitats. This strategic deployment allows us to monitor and study bat populations comprehensively, offering valuable insights for conservation efforts. We conduct monthly recordings from January 2024 through December 2024 to capture bat calls (Photo 1, Photo 2). For better analysis, we separate the bat call recordings into three main phases: Phase 1 (January to April), Phase 2 (May to August), and Phase 3 (September to December). We are already in the process of annotating the bat calls and have regular meetings with the mentors assigned to our team (Photo 3).
Throughout the deployment of the detector, of course we go through some challenges or some hoops that we have to jump through in order to learn how to use and manage the detector deployment in different environments. Malaysia experiences a predominantly sunny climate, with a rainy season occurring towards the beginning and end of the year. Despite these weather fluctuations, the detectors have performed admirably, consistently capturing high-quality bat calls.
The deployment of bat detectors on Penang Island, highlighting their importance in preserving the island’s unique bat species and ensuring a balanced ecosystem. This is only the beginning and we anticipated more discoveries will be revealed at the end of this project. Special thanks to Cornell University, specifically for K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics for this opportunity.
