Meet the Winners:

What drew you to this research topic?

Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (lesser long-nosed bat) is my favourite species and since I was a kid I pictured myself doing science with pollinating bats. First, some animals of this species are capable of migrating more than 1,000 km every year during spring from southern and western Mexico to the Sonoran Desert in the north of Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Second, this species is the most important pollinator of tequila agaves and the columnar cacti, two plants that are representative of Mexico’s ecosystems and culture and have large economic importance for the local Mexican communities. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work in some of the most important maternity roosts across the lesser long-nosed bats distribution, which can hold up to dozens of thousands of individuals. However, there are still a lot of information gaps surrounding the movement ecology of this species. That is why I feel honoured to be able to conduct research with this amazing species and help to fill that knowledge gap.

How do you see your work contributing to public policy, citizen science, or science education more broadly?

In this case, we show that by using PIT-tag technology we can obtain long-term and very detailed data for a sensitive vulnerable species, such as the pollinating lesser long-nosed bat. This contributes to public policy by providing guidelines on how to do research and conservation of the roosts of pollinating bats, especially species sensitive to handling and disturbance.

From the science education perspective, this research shows the power and potential of PIT-tag technology and data science approaches in ecology and conservation topics. With the talks that I continue giving about my research, I am sure that students interested in science can feel inspired. Especially, students from the Global South can see that it is possible to conduct and publish research articles about ecology and wildlife. So, that is why I feel that every step I take in the world of research, also empowers my community and future scientists to make a change in the world.

Moreover, from the citizen science perspective, I think that my research contributes by raising awareness about the importance of pollinating bats in ecosystems. This is by specifically highlighting the relationship between the activity patterns of the lesser long-nosed bat and food availability, which in this case is the nectar and fruits of the columnar cacti and agaves that are keystone species in the Baja Californian Peninsula.

What are your research goals for the future?

My life goal is to continue doing bat research and conservation in Latin America. Bats and caves are my most appreciated interests, thus everything that includes them, I am in. Specifically, in terms of ecological topics I am interested in animal-plant interactions, social behaviour, and ecological dynamics. I endeavour to apply ecological data to management and effective conservation actions. This research, published in the Journal of Mammalogy was part of my master’s, and now I am doing my Ph.D.

One of my long-term goals is to continue building the bridge between scientific research and conservation actions. In this case, the plan (and I am sure I will do it) is to locate the most vulnerable caves by human disturbance and identify the most threatened bat species in Latin America. But for this, I need to continue exploring caves, record abundance, richness, and basic population dynamic variables to identify trends and priorities for conservation. I have already started with the baby steps that will lead me to this, so stay tuned. I am excited to continue to do more open science on bat conservation in the Global South.

Besides conducting research in the wilderness, I will continue to advocate for bats and their role in the ecosystems, so we as a society can all have a better understanding of their importance and enhance their conservation.

Is there anything else you want to share about you or your research?

I want to express that it is not a coincidence that I am presenting my research on the lesser longed-nosed bat. This personal journey started 10 years ago when I decided to devote my life to the only flying mammal in the world, bats. This began when I realized how misunderstood they were, especially as they are crucial for ecosystem functioning and agriculture.

I feel honoured and grateful for being able to do research with an amazing pollinating bat, the challenges have always been present, but the reward is invaluable, and I would not change it for anything. It is good to always remember that ecology and conservation are not only about publishing papers, but also about building teams with the local communities, policymakers, and researchers. I hope that my submission for the BioOne Ambassador Awards expresses not only my contributions of my research but also serves as an opportunity to do outreach about how and why we do research.