Hillsborough County Florida Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department
We manage more than 61,000 acres of environmentally sensitive wildlife habitat and corridors acquired through the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP).
Management responsibilities include:
Prescribed burning
Invasive species control
Wildlife inventory
Trail maintenance
Feral animal control
Habitat improvements for endangered and threatened species of plants and animals
ELAPP is a voluntary program established for the purpose of providing the process and funding for identifying, acquiring, preserving and protecting endangered, environmentally-sensitive and significant lands in Hillsborough County. It is a citizen-based program with volunteer committees involved in every key aspect of the program. ELAPP is not a regulatory program, but lands are identified for the program because of their environmental significance.
About HCConservation
Hillsborough County FL Conservation and Lands Management
We protect Hillsborough County's natural lands and wildlife through a system of conservation parks and nature preserves, including more than 63,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands through ELAPP. We also provide unique outdoor recreational activities ranging from picnicking and camping to hiking and kayaking.
Bat Diversity on our
ELAPP Preserves
by Gillian Seymour
Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)
Bats navigate by using
ultrasonic (high-frequency)
echolocation calls
These calls can be recorded
with special microphones and
slowed down to frequencies
audible to the human ear
The frequency and “shape” of
the call reveals the identify
of the species (sometimes)
Multiple bat species at normal speed
Same recording at 1/16th the speed
This recording is 1/16th normal speed and compressed
* All other recordings in this presentation are 1/16th speed
Seminole bats (Lasiurus seminolus) and Eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis)
make calls that are too similar to distinguish
*They're both real cute though
Seminole bats (Lasiurus seminolus) or
Eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis)
Northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius) is
very common
Northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius)
Southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius)
has a very unique call
Southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius)
Bat Meter Deployment Locations and Results
Co
mm
on
N
am
e
Ba
lm
B
oy
et
te
S
cr
ub
Bl
ac
kw
at
er
C
re
ek
Br
oo
ke
r
Cr
ee
k
Bu
ff
er
La
ke
D
an
P
re
se
rv
e
La
ke
F
ra
nc
es
P
re
se
rv
e
Gr
an
d
To
ta
l
Brazilian Free-
Tailed Bat
x
x
x
x
x
5
Evening Bat
x
x
x
x
x
5
Low Frequency Bat
Group (Brown Bat,
Hoary Bat,
Northern yellow
bat)
x
x
x
x
4
Red Bat Group
(Eastern Red Bat
and Seminole Bat)
x
x
x
3
Southeastern
Myotis
x
x
x
3
Tricolored bat
x
x
x
x
x
5
Grand Total
5
5
5
4
3
The Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) is
Federally endangered and is Florida's only endemic
flying mammal
Although never documented in Hillsborough County,
it has been documented in Polk County
So the quest for more bat knowledge must
continue...
Photo Credits
Mexican free-tailed bat: Bat Conservation International and Minden Pictures,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mypubliclands/46106542351/in/photolist-dcxaXB-dcx7ra-dcx7JT-dcx8m5-dcx6Rv-dcxajv-dcxbEo-dcxaq6-
dcxbiX-dcx8FQ-dcx8zb-dcxbzj-dcxbUm-dcxcKT-dcx8sW-dcxcAX-2dfh5Hn-fkPdCH-fm4orm-R7wtz9-RxNmpj-dcxezU-oie7PS-dcxcy3-feohvJ
Florida bonneted bat: FWC photo by Gary Morse, https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/15358254708/in/photolist-ppa53Y-
9hqZPF-9hu8dw-9hqZVc-9hu8hG-qC7ZTq-pXFvwh-qUzRSs-qCaF95-qSqrRW-qUwC9R-qCaxEg-qUvBHx-qCaqG8-pXTZiz-pFGcLu-pXU4Sp-
qC7yUL-qC65MW-qC9WQr-pXHKCj-pXPH4P-qUDcho-pXBu8y-pXB1tq-qC2JTy-qCeSoa-qCibNi-qCaHnJ-pXW69P-qSn8yQ-qCejUi-qSnAnQ-
qCagbA-qUB9N9-qSniSA-qC8SLq-pXSZmT-qCasjC-qUFWxv-qC3WYf-pXVWoT-qCaJu3-qUwqV8-pXSTov-qC8CEm-qUE2HK-qSoUM3-qUCK4b-
qCcFfx
Southeastern myotis: FWC photo by Carli Segelson https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/48872423487/in/photolist-2hsEWSY-
2hsFWQT-2hsFWPa
Northern yellow bat: US Fish and Wildlife National Digital Library, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lasiurus_intermedius.jpg
Seminole Bat- Kathleen Smith, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/7157754048/in/photolist-bUvmUy-bUvmWG-n1BoLM-bKpPm-2byi89o
Eastern red bat: Josh Henderson, https://www.flickr.com/photos/bugginout/4668235730/in/photolist-PU2mSt-bWHu4-bWHwu-2aTAYLA-
87vVQW-PU2nhB-2aTAZmy-kraA3V-2aTAYPm-2aTAYUS-2aTAYX7-2aTAZ1y-2aTAYRW-enV1fT-87sHDx-krbfCD-zD4q-9DU5c8-5V458b-
a5Lseh-TVcZAu-krbfGM-eDgpKu-SF