Merlin and MTBC team members spent 19 days in Costa Rica last November on a filming trip for “Bat City” with its Director and Emmy Award-winning cinematographer, Skip Hobbie. “Bat City” will be a 15-minute educational documentary highlighting the beauty and ecological importance of bats from around the world, and Merlin’s role in protecting the […]
On October 16th, Merlin spoke before a sold-out crowd as part of the First Wednesdays lecture series at the Aquarium of the Pacific. We had a wonderful time getting to meet MTBC members and fans, and introduce the crowd to Merlin’s presentation, “The Secret Lives of Bats.” If you couldn’t attend in person or missed […]
An important new study, recently published in Science and widely covered by major newspapers like The Guardian, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, has linked WNS-related declines in bat populations to increased infant mortality. The study reports that in U.S. counties affected by WNS, pesticide use rose by 31%, and infant mortality rose by […]
We had a wonderful time celebrating Austin’s bats and Merlin’s 82nd birthday during our annual Merlin Tuttle Day event and our member appreciation cruise! Merlin shares his special thanks to everyone who was able to join us and participated. For those of you who weren’t able to come, please enjoy these selected photos from both […]
On arrival at the Selva Verde Eco Lodge in Costa Rica, Merlin and I immediately noticed an unexpected sight – a bat house with a sign and logo prepared by our soon-to-be guide and friend, “Bat Henry.” Our mission would have been impossible without his experienced guidance. His work is a testament to the power […]
I just returned from a 10-day jungle adventure with Merlin. We were photographing rarely seen bats for our next educational program. Led by local bat enthusiasts, Henry “Bat Henry” Alfara and Emmanuel Rojas, we sometimes had to hike miles to find the most needed bats. Bats were everywhere, if you knew where to look, but […]
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Madelline Mathis has a degree in environmental studies from Rollins College and a passion for wildlife conservation. She is an outstanding nature photographer who has worked extensively with Merlin and other MTBC staff studying and photographing bats in Mozambique, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Texas. Following college graduation, she was employed as an environmental specialist for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She subsequently founded the Florida chapter of the International DarkSky Association and currently serves on the board of DarkSky Texas. She also serves on the board of Houston Wilderness and was appointed to the Austin Water Resource Community Planning Task Force.
Michael Lazari Karapetian has over twenty years of investment management experience. He has a degree in business management, is a certified NBA agent, and gained early experience as a money manager for the Bank of America where he established model portfolios for high-net-worth clients. In 2003 he founded Lazari Capital Management, Inc. and Lazari Asset Management, Inc. He is President and CIO of both and manages over a half a billion in assets. In his personal time he champions philanthropic causes. He serves on the board of Moravian College and has a strong affinity for wildlife, both funding and volunteering on behalf of endangered species.
