Perhaps...but during hibernation, periodically the animal becomes
aroused from the lower metabolic state to a euthermic state with a
normal body temperature. If the bat is already moving about during
such a period, it will need additional energy to keep it warm, thus
requiring more energy from its fat stores. Providing external heat
would reduce the amount of stored energy it would need to stay warm
during this normal arousal state.
As with all research, there is no guarantee that the original
hypothesis is valid (that's why you do the experiment)...but providing
an external food supply to the bats would be a much more drastic
measure, fraught with many potential unknown side effects to the cave
environment.
Diana
On Mar 13, 2009, at 1:16 PM, DONALD G. DAVIS wrote:
Below is a post by Diana Tomchick from Texascavers about the =
heated bat house proposal to help bats survive WNS.
Mark Minton
There's nothing to lose by trying it, but warming the bats is very
unlikely to help, unless they can be fed at the same time. Bat
species
that hibernate in cold caves do so to minimize their metabolism
until it's
warm enough outside that their food is available and they can fly
and feed
without getting chilled. White Nose Syndrome is said to kill by
raising
their metabolism so that they starve before spring. Warm boxes
would also
raise their metabolism. Either way they would run out of stored
energy.
--Donald
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Diana R. Tomchick
Associate Professor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Department of Biochemistry
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Rm. ND10.214B
Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A.
Email: [email protected]
214-645-6383 (phone)
214-645-6353 (fax)
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