Reappraising the use of forearm rings for bat species
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Author
Lobato-Bailón, Lourdes
López-Baucells, Adrià
Guixé, David
Flaquer, Carles
Camprodon, Jordi
Florensa-Rius, Xavier
Mas, Maria
Torrent, Laura
Ordeix, Laura
Tallo-Parra, Oriol
Ribas, Maria P.
Marco, Ignasi
Carvajal, Annaïs
López-Bejar, Manel
Espunyes, Johan
Publication date
2023-09-10ISSN
0006-3207
Abstract
Long-term mark-recapture studies are essential for bat conservation. Over the last decades, millions of bats across
Europe and America have been marked with forearm rings for this purpose. Although it is considered a costeffective method compared to Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT) tags, direct injuries from using forearm
rings have been reported since their very first use. Yet, their impact on bats’ welfare has not been systematically
evaluated and remains a highly controversial issue among the scientific community and policymakers. Here we
assess the impact of forearm rings and PIT tags on the health of different bat species. We reviewed 12 years of the
existing recapture data of free-ranging bats from NE Spain and evaluated the impact of both marking tools in a
captive colony of Carollia perspicillata, by assessing the development of skin lesions and levels of cortisol metabolites in guano (CG) after marking. We report that 55.1 % (435/790) of the recaptured free-ranging bats with
forearm rings presented skin lesions. All banded C. perspicillata (n = 22, 100 %) developed skin lesions, whereas
none of the PIT-tagged (n = 21) presented lesions. Levels of CG were significantly higher after marking with
forearm rings only for one group. Banded C. perspicillata exhibited discomfort-associated behaviours due to
forearm rings. Under the “precautionary principle”, we recommend the ban of forearm rings for all bat species
until species-specific studies under controlled conditions are performed and approved by a legally constituted
ethics committee. Consideration of other long-term marking tools is mandatory to align with global bat conservation strategies.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
619 - Veterinary science
Pages
10
Publisher
Elsevier
Is part of
Biological Conservation
Citation
Lobato-Bailón, Lourdes, Adrià López‐Baucells, David Guixé, Carles Flaquer, Jordi Camprodón, Xavier Florensa-Rius, M. Mas, et al. 2023. “Reappraising the Use of Forearm Rings for Bat Species.” Biological Conservation 286: 110268. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110268.
Program
Sanitat Animal
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- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2555]
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