Penn State Altoona News

Monday, October 26, 2009 - 200 hits

Penn State Altoona professor testifies on endangered bats

Michael Gannon, professor of biology at Penn State Altoona, testified recently in a U.S. District Court on whether the endangered Indiana bat can be found at the site of a proposed West Virginia wind power project. Attorneys for two environmental groups say the developers should be required to get permits under the Endangered Species Act.

The defense attorney stated that no one has ever actually seen the rare bat at the site. Gannon said surveys using nets at the site have not captured an Indiana bat, but recordings indicate it is at the site. Gannon told the attorneys and the judge that of the 160 he reviewed, he was able to make an identification of 42, including three he thought were the Indiana bat, although he could not say whether the recordings were of three separate bats or the same bat on three occasions. Gannon said he thought bats were at the site based on the location, habitat and recordings and he felt it was likely they would be harmed by the project. Under cross-examination Gannon again acknowledged Indiana bats had not been captured during a netting survey, but added that the netting efforts were not intense enough.

You can read more about this story at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33419910/ns/us_news-environment/ online.