Batty about Summer
July 2, 2024
It’s summertime (in the Northern Hemisphere) and the evening skies are alive with activity. As the sun sets, bugs are flying around and bats are
It’s summertime (in the Northern Hemisphere) and the evening skies are alive with activity. As the sun sets, bugs are flying around and bats are
Craning my neck, I shone my headlamp at the cave ceiling above. I was nestled between two boulders with giant cockroaches for company and bats
When most people think of pollinators, fluffy bees and beautiful butterflies fluttering around in the afternoon sun, often come to mind. However, one of the
It shouldn’t have surprised me when Daniel pointed my way in his search for volunteers. I could only make myself look so small in a
Tilting my head out from the cover of our longboat, I basked in the morning sun as we motored along the famous River Kwai. I
On March 6, 2024, the Wall Street Journal presented findings from the University of Leeds in their opinion piece, “Why Scientists Love Chasing Bats; The
“Would you like to have a go with this camera?” Daniel Hargreaves’ voice pulled my attention away from the Lyle’s flying foxes (Pteropus lylei) I
As I rappelled down a sheer rock wall to reach the entrance to America’s most important remaining bat hibernation cave, I couldn’t believe my good
How does a community scientist from Toronto, Canada suddenly end up relocating to Austin, Texas, to work as a full-time bat biologist for Merlin Tuttle’s
On arrival at the Selva Verde Eco Lodge in Costa Rica, Merlin and I immediately noticed an unexpected sight – a bat house with a
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Daniel Hargreaves is a lifelong bat conservationist who has worked globally to facilitate progress, including co-founding Trinibats, a non-profit bat conservation organization in Trinidad. He has organized and led field workshops worldwide, including five for MTBC. Following a long and successful career in business, he now manages a network of bat reserves for the Vincent Wildlife Trust in the UK, supervising research and development of new and innovative conservation techniques. Daniel also is one of the world’s premier bat photographers.
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.