For insectivorous bats living in temperate areas such as Nova Scotia, underground sites are a critical resource for over-wintering, as well as for swarming in the late summer and early fall, which is when mating occurs. The objectives of this study were to 1) identify additional abandoned mines and caves in Nova Scotia that are important swarming sites, and 2) quantitatively characterize factors which best differentiate between caves and mines that are used for swarming/hibernating, and those that are not. Acoustic and/or trapping surveys of 17 abandoned mines and nine caves in Nova Scotia were conducted in 2010. Five site characteristics were analysed to explain differences between used and unused sites. Surveys indicated that twelve of the 26 sites are used by bats during the swarming period. Results of a logistic regression analysis of nine a priori selected models indicated that chamber length was the best predictor of swarming.

The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is one of the most common reptiles in North America, but is soon to be threatened due to increased urbanization, disease, and the pet and food trades. In order to assist resource managers in choosing suitable sites for relocation studies, more information on the winter ecology of this species is necessary. We examined the temperature tolerance, microhabitat and degree of philopatry to hibernacula for juvenile and adult E. box turtles for two consecutive winters in Charles City Co, VA. The turtles were tracked via radio telemetry to record point locations during the active and inactive seasons. iButton data loggers were attached to each turtle to record temperature throughout winter. Vegetation data were collected and analyzed to determine if there are microhabitat differences between adult and juvenile turtles, and between occupied and random plots. Philopatry to wintering hibernacula was determined by measurements in the field and using ArcGIS. Adults had significantly higher minimum temperatures than juveniles during the first winter (P=0.027), but not during the second winter (P=0.327). Shrub and canopy cover were marginally higher for random plots than for occupied turtle hibernacula plots (P=0.066 and P=0.092, respectively); however there were no significant differences for any of the vegetation variables between adults and juveniles. Some of the turtles demonstrated site fidelity of their hibernacula. The temperature data from this study suggests that juveniles may have poorer hibernacula selection and therefore lower minimum temperatures compared with adults, but this was not seen in our second season suggesting that juvenile turtles may learn to choose better hibernacula or to dig deeper. The difference in findings for the two winters could be attributed to illness by several of the turtles the first winter, by increased maturity in the juveniles the second winter or by the significant difference in ambient temperature for the two winters (P=0.0001). Juveniles do not differ from adults in microhabitat selection, therefore resource managers may not need to plan differently for juveniles and adults in relocation studies. We also conclude that both age groups of T. c. carolina exhibit site fidelity of hibernacula.

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Nowadays great attention is payed to the protection of the biodiversity not only in the EU but also in the whole world. The wane of the biodiversity was influenced by the intensive use of the natural resources and the decimation of the natural landscape. This process has become very fast and often irreversible. According to the protection of the biodiversity, the five international conventions have been signed: Ramsar Convention, Rio de Janeiro Convention, Washington Convention, Bonn Convention, Bern Convention. Lithuania has ratified all of them. Now Lithuania has a very important task to fulfil all the obligations and requirements. The most important obligation is to establish the Natura 2000 territories network. Though the requirements of the directives have been started implementing since 1999, the process still continues. The SPAs status has already been given to 77 localities and 299 are the SAC potentials. There are 12 territories that are intended for the bat protection in the SAC potentials register. Great concern has been showed to the protection of these animals in Europe. On purpose to give it a better protection 31 European countries have ratified the Agreement on the Conservation of Population of European Bats (EUROBATS). Lithuania signed it in 2001. The aim of the work is to study how successfully Lithuania deals with the main 8 obligations. The obligations are: the prohibition of the deliberate catching, keeping and killing, the protection of bats converts... [to full text]

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