| 5. What
species of bat do you think is
interesting and why? I like the
Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida
brasiliensis)
because they are very social and have a
lot to say to one another in their
roosts. I love to watch them and listen
to all of the sounds they make when
"talking" to one another.
6. Why did
you decide to become a conservation
biologist?
I was always
interested in animals, even as a child. I
wanted to find a way to help them, and
becoming a conservation biologist gave me
that opportunity.
7. Were you
always interested in bats?
No, I didn't
know very much about bats until I moved
to Austin, Texas in 1981. After I had
lived there for a few years, a friend
told me there were bats living under a
bridge downtown. I was intrigued because
I did not know much about them. So we
drove down to the bridge and looked for
the bats. Then suddenly thousands of bats
began dropping down from the crevices
under the bridge and flying out into the
open. I was so surprised and excited! It
was the most captivating sight I had ever
seen. I have been fascinated with bats
ever since.
8. What type
of classes should students take and study
hard in to become a conservation
biologist?
You should
study everything you can about living
things and their environment (ecology).
Learn as much as you can about plants (botany), and animals (zoology), and
micro organisms (microbiology) and how
they interact with one another and the
rest of their environment. Learn what
animals eat and where they live
(habitat). Learn about the anatomy and
physiology of living things. Learn how
all of these things are related to one
another and create a natural balance, and
learn how to help preserve or restore
that balance when it has been disrupted
(conservation).
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