Wind turbines as landscape impediments to the migratory connectivity of bats

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Unprecedented numbers of migratory bats are found dead beneath industrial-scale wind turbines during late summer and autumn in both North America and Europe. Prior to the wide-scale deployment of wind turbines, fatal collisions of migratory bats with anthropogenic structures were rarely reported and likely occurred very infrequently. There are no other well-documented threats to populations of migratory tree bats that cause mortality of similar magnitude to that observed at wind turbines. Just three migratory species comprise the vast majority of bat kills at turbines in North America, and there are indications that turbines may actually attract migrating individuals toward their blades. Although fatality of certain migratory species is consistent in occurrence across large geographic regions, fatality rates differ across sites for reasons mostly unknown. Cumulative fatality for turbines in North America might already range into the hundreds of thousands of bats per year. Research into the causes of bat fatalities at wind turbines can ascertain the scale of the problem and help identify solutions. None of the migratory bats known to be most affected by wind turbines are protected by conservation laws, nor is there a legal mandate driving research into the problem or implementation of potential solutions. The story of bats and wind turbines highlights the importance of proactive measures to ensure the health and well-being of vulnerable wildlife populations before or soon after unexpected threats arise and quickly take their toll. Understanding and anticipating such problems depends on a combination of scientific research and a mandate for vigilance. To be prepared is half the battle, and a legal framework for protecting all migratory wildlife may be the type of foresight needed to help drive scientific advances that will allow us to better predict and deal with emerging threats to migratory wildlife before they become intractable.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology

[Article was originally presented at a symposium: Animal Migration Conservation, location and date not mentioned.]