Bats of the Bush: Exploring the Secret Lives of South Australia's Bats

What do bats have to do with city parks, insect control, and citizen science? Quite a lot, as explored in this engaging webinar hosted by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, featuring ecologists Dr Jason Van Weenen and Dr Kyle Armstrong.

From flying foxes to microbats, this event takes a close look at the diversity of bat species in South Australia, their unique adaptations, and the vital ecological roles they play in our landscapes.

Watch the full webinar:
Bats of the Bush | International Bat Appreciation Day Webinar

Flying Foxes in the Urban Landscape [00:04:26]

Dr Jason Van Weenen from Green Adelaide introduces the grey-headed flying fox, a nationally vulnerable species that has become a more frequent visitor to South Australia.

• Feeding behaviour focused on flowering eucalypts, figs, and palm fruits.
• Nightly foraging distances of up to 50 km.
• The importance of urban tree diversity in supporting bat populations.
• Contribution to seed dispersal and limited pollination in SA.

Jason shares radio tracking data that reveals how far these bats travel—and how much of the landscape they help connect.

Microbats: Diversity, Adaptation & Insect Control [00:29:35]

Dr Kyle Armstrong, biologist at the University of Adelaide, shifts the focus to South Australia’s 27 microbat species—many of which are rarely seen but play a vital role in controlling insect populations.

• Diverse wing shapes and flight patterns tailored to specific environments.
• Advanced echolocation strategies using facial features to amplify sound.
• Feeding strategies from aerial interception to surface gleaning.
• Nearly half of SA’s bat species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or rare.

“Each bat species has a 60-million-year-old story of adaptation and survival.” — Dr Kyle Armstrong

Community Science and Conservation in Action [00:59:31]

The webinar also showcases the Mega Murray Darling Microbats Project, a citizen science initiative led by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board. This project engages landholders and volunteers to collect acoustic data using Anabat detectors.

• Wider community involvement has improved monitoring coverage.
• Preliminary data suggests a possible decline in species richness.
• Ongoing monitoring is vital to understand population trends over time.

Practical Steps for Bat Conservation

The speakers offer practical recommendations for supporting bats and their habitats:

• Preserve or install tree hollows and bat boxes (01:04:50)
• Reduce light pollution and limit insecticide use (01:04:50)
• Maintain native vegetation and access to clean water (01:04:50)
• Record sightings on iNaturalist or other platforms (00:05:00)
• Support or initiate citizen science projects in your area (00:59:31)

These small actions help protect bats and the broader biodiversity they support.

For Educators: A Curriculum-Aligned Opportunity

This webinar provides a ready-made learning resource aligned with the Australian Science Curriculum, especially for secondary science and environmental studies. It supports classroom exploration of:

• Ecosystem interdependence
• Adaptation and evolution
• Wildlife conservation and human impacts
• Technology in field research (e.g. echolocation monitoring)

Use it to spark student inquiry into biodiversity, citizen science, and species protection.

Watch the full webinar:

Explore more:
Visit the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board for educational resources, citizen science projects, and conservation initiatives.