Translocation is an increasingly popular conservation tool from which a wide range of taxa have benefited. However, to our knowledge, bats have not been translocated successfully. Bats differ behaviourally, morphologically and physiologically from the taxa for which translocation theory has been developed, so existing guidelines may not be directly transferable. We review previous translocations of bats and discuss characteristics of bats that may require special consideration during translocation. Their vagility and homing ability, coloniality, roost requirements, potential ability to transmit diseases, susceptibility to anthropomorphic impacts, and cryptic nature have implications for establishing populations, effects of these populations on the release site, and ability to monitor translocation success following release. We hope that our discussion of potential problems will be able to supplement the existing, more generic guidelines to provide a starting point for the planning of bat translocations.
Homing behaviour in the New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus), a temperate insectivorous species, was investigated at Grand Canyon Cave, central North Island. A pilot study of nine adult male bats was conducted to determine whether use of the cave was regular enough for a homing study. Eight bats returned to the cave over the 3-week monitoring period, six on the night following release. Nine additional bats carrying radio transmitters were then released at three sites (three at each site) c. 5, 10 and 20 km due east of the cave; sites estimated to be located within, on the border of, and outside the population's known familiar area respectively. All but one of these nine bats were subsequently detected at the cave. Results suggest that adult long-tailed bats are able to return home following displacement both inside and outside their familiar area. Implications of these findings for translocations of bats and the possession of a potential long-distance navigation system by this species are discussed.
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