Bibliographical citation: Carson, M.K.; with photographs by Tom Uhlman (2010). The Bat Scientists. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Books For Children. 79 pages. ISBN: 9780547199566.
Awards: ALA Notable Books for Children (2011).
Author's website: http://www.marykaycarson.com/
Annotation: Scientist Merlin Tuttle and his organization, Bat Conservation International, take readers on a journey into the mysterious world of bats. Visit their environments, understand their methods of communication, and learn why it is important to protect these remarkable flying mammals.
Personal Reaction: Bat Scientist Merlin Tuttle takes readers on a journey into Bracken Bat Cave, near San Antonio, Texas. Tuttle has been interested in science, and especially bats, since he was a young boy. Merlin Tuttle has founded an organization called Bat Conservation International (BCI). This organization is in charge of protecting and educating people about the bat population. It is obvious that he has spent many years studying these interesting creatures, and shares this with readers by beginning with Bracken Bat Cave. This cave holds the largest known colony of bats in the world. This colony is what is called a maternity colony, which means that all of the adult bats there are female.
This title looks at bat conservation since it involves protecting caves for hibernation, banding bats in order to record information, and studying the various bat populations. It also shows different types of bats and what they eat and do. For example, large eyed bats need to see and smell in order to eat fruit, while other bats use echolocation (sound waves) to locate insects. Many bats nest in caves, but when leaving the cave in the evening, they must watch out for predators such as snakes, and raccoons. This book also focuses on the importance of educating people about why bats are an important part of the ecosystem. Many people see bats as disease carrying vermin that will attack people, but author Mary Kay Carson words hard to dispel the myths about bats. It is not usual for bats to bite people and many don't recognize that bats perform a very necessary service to our world by eating their body weight in insects on a nightly basis.
The number of bats is declining for several reasons. People disturb the caves that they live and/or hibernate in. BCI is working to keep people out of the caves by building gates that keep people out but still allow bats in. Certain caves are very important, since the temperature of the cave has to be just right for living and hibernation, otherwise the bats can't last through the hibernation time. If they are disturbed, then their stored energy is used up too quickly and they can starve. Caves are also being turned into tourist attractions, which drives the bats out of their homes. Interestingly enough, bats are closer to the monkey group than they are to mice, which is what is believed by many. They are unique since they are mammals that can fly. Their wings are formed the same way that a human hand is-with a thumb, etc. It just looks so different since the bat's fingers are longer.
Tuttle and BCI show how homeless bats can be helped by building bat houses and working on caves in order to draw bats back to them, since they will return if the conditions are right. Many bats form colonies and live under bridges and in mines. Mines work well if they have the right temperature, and if they aren't disturbed.
This title also is studying the fungus that is killing bats and threatening all of its populations. Where did it come from? Is it a symptom of something else or the problem? BCI is working hard to save the bat population which is very important to our ecosystem. Photographs by Tom Uhlman depict many closeups of bat species and the various environments of bats. All of this information, along with interesting photographs, makes this book both enjoyable and informative.
Front/Back Matter: Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Learn More About Bats, Words to Know, Index.
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*Bibliographical citation information, award information, as well as image retrieved from www.bwibooks.com (Titletales).
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