Post by L Roebuck on Oct 13, 2005 14:22:48 GMT -5
Meet Wellesley's own Batman
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Dr. Thomas Kunz, professor of biology and director of the Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology at Boston University, and noted bat expert, will share with young and old the importance of bats in the world's ecosystem in his presentation "Why Should You Care about Bats?" This event will be held at the Wellesley Community Center, 219 Washington St., on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m.
Kunz will present a brief overview of bat characteristics such as what distinguishes bats from other mammals, what different species look like, how many kinds of bats are known in the world, where they live, what they eat and their importance to both the natural and human-altered ecosystems. He will speak about the feeding and roosting habits of selected bat species such as those in temperate regions such as New England, including tent-making bats, cave-roosting bats and hibernating bats. Myths about bats are found in many cultures, in movies, comic books and on television. Kunz will talk about some of the common myths and folklore about bats, how bats are being threatened by human activities and why it is important to protect and preserve bats and the habitats on which they depend. He will try to bring a live bat with him (don't worry, it will not fly around), but will definitely bring and demonstrate some of the special equipment he uses to study bats in hollow trees and caves.
Kunz has been on the faculty of Boston University for the past 34 years. His research focuses on the ecology, behavior, evolution and conservation biology of bats. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 publications and is the editor of "Ecology of Bats" (Plenum Press, 1982) and co-editor of "Bat Biology and Conservation" (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998) and "Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of Bats" (Oxford University Press, in press). He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, past president of the American Society of Mammologists and a recipient of the Gerrit S. Miller Jr. Award and the C. Hart Merriam Award. He is currently funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Park Service, where his research focuses on assessing the ecological and economic impact of Brazilian free-tailed bats on agro-ecosystems and the influence of environmental factors on the prevalence of rabies infections in two species of North American insectivorous bats. He has pioneered the applications of infrared thermal imaging in ecology and behavior.
"Why Should You Care about Bats?" is a program for all ages. Kunz has spoken at the Young Scientists' programs at the library and has been a Wellesley resident for 30 years. Admission is free, and this program is open to the public. Call 781-235-1864 for more information or visit the Wellesley Conservation Web site at www.wellesleyconservationcouncil.org
Wellesley Townsman
www2.townonline.com/wellesley/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=346000
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Dr. Thomas Kunz, professor of biology and director of the Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology at Boston University, and noted bat expert, will share with young and old the importance of bats in the world's ecosystem in his presentation "Why Should You Care about Bats?" This event will be held at the Wellesley Community Center, 219 Washington St., on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m.
Kunz will present a brief overview of bat characteristics such as what distinguishes bats from other mammals, what different species look like, how many kinds of bats are known in the world, where they live, what they eat and their importance to both the natural and human-altered ecosystems. He will speak about the feeding and roosting habits of selected bat species such as those in temperate regions such as New England, including tent-making bats, cave-roosting bats and hibernating bats. Myths about bats are found in many cultures, in movies, comic books and on television. Kunz will talk about some of the common myths and folklore about bats, how bats are being threatened by human activities and why it is important to protect and preserve bats and the habitats on which they depend. He will try to bring a live bat with him (don't worry, it will not fly around), but will definitely bring and demonstrate some of the special equipment he uses to study bats in hollow trees and caves.
Kunz has been on the faculty of Boston University for the past 34 years. His research focuses on the ecology, behavior, evolution and conservation biology of bats. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 publications and is the editor of "Ecology of Bats" (Plenum Press, 1982) and co-editor of "Bat Biology and Conservation" (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998) and "Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of Bats" (Oxford University Press, in press). He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, past president of the American Society of Mammologists and a recipient of the Gerrit S. Miller Jr. Award and the C. Hart Merriam Award. He is currently funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Park Service, where his research focuses on assessing the ecological and economic impact of Brazilian free-tailed bats on agro-ecosystems and the influence of environmental factors on the prevalence of rabies infections in two species of North American insectivorous bats. He has pioneered the applications of infrared thermal imaging in ecology and behavior.
"Why Should You Care about Bats?" is a program for all ages. Kunz has spoken at the Young Scientists' programs at the library and has been a Wellesley resident for 30 years. Admission is free, and this program is open to the public. Call 781-235-1864 for more information or visit the Wellesley Conservation Web site at www.wellesleyconservationcouncil.org
Wellesley Townsman
www2.townonline.com/wellesley/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=346000