Batphone Launched: iBat Captures Ultrasonic Calls of Bats on Smartphones

Scientists have brought to life the batphone, launching a new smartphone app to monitor the world's bats.

From Transylvania to Tooting, citizen scientists will be pointing their smartphones to the skies to capture the ultrasonic calls of bats in their local area.

The iBats app has been developed for both the iPhone and Android phones by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) in conjunction with the Bat Conservation Trust, Dr. George Roussos of Birkbeck, University of London, and Dr. Adam Talcott of Atomic Powered, USA.

The iBats app will assist a global network of more than 700 volunteer bat-trackers who are part of a global bat monitoring programme called iBats funded by The Darwin Initiative and The Leverhulme Trust.s

The handheld technology lightens the load for volunteers who previously had to carry three pieces of recording kit to monitor their local bat species. With the launch of the iBats app, they now only need their smartphone and an ultrasonic microphone.

iBats volunteers are currently recording bat calls in the UK, Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Russia and Japan. The scientists coordinating iBats hope the launch of the iBats app will encourage more people to get involved in the project.

"Bats are like a heart monitor for wildlife. Their presence can tell us a lot about the health of the environment because they have an important role in terms of eating insects and acting as pollinators for many different plant species.

"We hope the iBats app will encourage more people to monitor their local bats and make a contribution to the global conservation of wildlife," says Dr. Kate Jones, iBats Project Manager from ZSL.

The iBats app is capable of recording the calls of more than 900 species of bats which use echolocation for finding food and navigation. Volunteers will be able to upload recorded calls to the iBats website which uses special software to identify the bats that have been recorded.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: "This innovative new app helps people connect with nature as never before and will make a real difference to global conservation efforts.

"I'm pleased that Defra is able to support this scheme through its Darwin Initiative. We're boosting funding by £25 million over the next four years, meaning better protection for wildlife in parts of the world where it's most at risk."

The information collected by the iBats program has advanced scientists' understanding of the different species of bats that populate our skies and the status of their populations. The detailed soundscapes enable scientists to differentiate between bats and identify new species.

ZSL and the Bat Conservation Trust are now looking for further technical investment in the iBats app to integrate the microphone into the phones, so that everyone with a smartphone will be able to identify bats at the touch of a button.

iBats is a global bat monitoring programme, that engages communities to monitor the health of their local natural environment by listening to the sounds that bats use to navigate and find food. Volunteers in over 16 countries around the world collect bat sounds and together we keep track of any changes in abundance or distribution of these amazing species. To find out how you can get involved please visit www.ibats.org.uk.

Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity: our key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats. The Society runs ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, carries out scientific research at the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation overseas. For further information please visit www.zsl.org

Bat Conservation Trust is the leading NGO solely devoted to the conservation of bats and the landscapes on which they rely. Since 1991 the Bat Conservation Trust has run a diverse range of projects to conserve bat populations. Supported by a network of nearly 5000 members, 2000 volunteers and 100 bat groups we are working to secure the future of bats in our ever changing world by tackling the threats to bats, from persecution to loss of roosts and changing land use. BCT operates the Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228, providing advice for all who come into contact with bats. More information can be found www.bats.org.uk.

2011 is Year of the Bat with events being organised across Europe to celebrate and engage people with bats. It also marks the 20th anniversary of the Bat Conservation Trust

Birkbeck, University of London is a world-class research and teaching institution, a vibrant centre of academic excellence and London's only specialist provider of evening higher education. We encourage applications from students without traditional qualifications and we have a wide range of programmes to suit every entry level. Our academic reputation also attracts many traditional full-time postgraduate students. Over 19,000 students study with us every year. For further information please visit www.bbk.ac.uk

Atomic Powered works with individuals and companies to design, develop and publish mobile apps on platforms such as Apple iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad) and Google Android. These mobile computing platforms are revolutionizing the computing industry by bringing powerful mobile computing to more and more people across the globe. Atomic Powered exists in part to help companies establish a presence, survive and thrive in this exciting new frontier. For additional information, please visit www.atomicpowered.net.

The Darwin Initiative is supported by the Department for Environment and Rural affairs and assists countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources to meet their objectives under one or more of the three major biodiversity Conventions: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES); and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), through the funding of collaborative projects which draw on UK biodiversity expertise. More information can be found at http://darwin.defra.gov.uk.

The Leverhulme Trust was established in 1925 under the Will of the First Viscount Leverhulme with the instruction that its resources should be used to support "scholarships for the purposes of research and education." Since that time, the Trust has provided funding for research projects, fellowships, studentships, bursaries and prizes; it operates across all the academic disciplines, the ambition being to support talented individuals as they realise their personal vision in research and professional training. With annual funding of some £50 million, the Trust is amongst the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK. More information can be found at http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk.

MSM Software is working with ZSL on the iBats project to write a new portal and provide support and maintenance. Established in 1998, MSM Software has offices in London, Bristol and Exeter. The philosophy of the company is to provide quality individual business solutions through bespoke software and database development, in order to forge long-term strategic partnerships with its clients. All MSM staff are permanently employed in the UK and are graduates with more than five years commercial experience. They are qualified as, or working towards, Microsoft Certified Professional Developer or better. MSM believes in investing in its team and its training budgets are double the industry average. For more information visit: www.msmsoftware.com.

Contacts and sources:
Victoria Picknell
Zoological Society of London