Because of the intense energy development going on in northern Alberta, the demand for bat surveys brought Cori to the Ft. McMurray area in 2008. The northern myotis, a forest-dependent bat species, is the main species of interest when conducting these surveys, although migratory bats, now classified as “Sensitive” in Alberta due to mortality threats from wind farms further south in the province, are also of interest.
Conducting bat surveys in most areas of northeastern Alberta is logistically challenging, requiring all equipment to be flown into survey sites by helicopter. Luckily, cut-lines facilitate some on-ground movement using Argos [photo on right] so that ideal mist-netting sites can be accessed.