mammal survey serra da estrela portugal - De Zoogdiervereniging

Mist netsSince the echolocation calls of several bat genera (suchas Barbastella, Plecotus and some Myotis) are very softand therefore difficult to receive with a bat detector, mistnets were used in selected locations. Mist nets are madeout of a very fine material. Bats which fly into the net gettangled and can then be removed and handled. Duringmost nights, the nets were set up over water courses. Batsneed to drink every night and often do so by scooping upwater in flight. In the Serra da Estrela region, water canbe found in reservoirs for fire-fighting helicopters, but netswere also placed by an artificial swimming pool in a riverbed and over a stream. On the last night, the nets wereused to close off a mine entry. Usually, additional netswere set in gaps in the vegetation or on forest paths, asbats tend to use such structures frequently during thenight. The mist net locations are presented on map 3.DNA samples were taken from every bat caught.Photo: Jan BuysAll bats captured were weighed, underarm length was measured and the sex was determined. Next, animalswere examined for parasites (these were collected for further investigation as is described in chapter 7) andfor reproductive status. A DNA sample was taken for further investigation. The DNA material was sent forfurther study to Irene Salicini of the Doñana Biological Station (part of the Spanish Council for ScientificResearch CSIC) in Sevilla.Map: Filipe Martins / CISEMap 3. Mist net locations.16 Dutch Mammal Society