\u201cBats play an important role in many environments around the world. Some plants depend partly or wholly on bats to pollinate their flowers or spread their seeds, while other bats also help control pests by eating insects. In the UK, some bats are \u2018indicator species\u2019 because changes to these bat populations can indicate changes in aspects of biodiversity.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
As we know from living in Austin and having heard about or experienced the seasonal bat exodus from the Congress Avenue Bridge each year, most bats live in colonies. While not many studies on the sociality of bats have been conducted, newer techniques and technologies now allow us to study bat biology more closely. New research shows that bats have social systems that are not only complex, but show newly identified behaviors of collaboration, connection and caring (yes, the three Cs). A 2008 study on the \u201cCauses and Consequences of Sociality in Bats<\/a>\u201d highlights that \u201cbat research can contribute to the understanding of animal sociality, and specifically to important topics in behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology, such as dispersal, fission-fusion behavior, group decision making, and cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n With Halloween around the corner, it\u2019s important to note that bats are really more benevolent and friendly than vicious blood-suckers as they are portrayed during this holiday. Researcher Geral Carter has studied bats to \u201cuntangle the evolutionary functions of friendship.\u201d In the Scientific American article, \u201cBlood Sisters: What Vampire Bats Can Teach Us about Friendship<\/a>,\u201d Carter found that bats establish social networks through reciprocity of food sharing beyond their kin, which create safety nets for survival, aligning with early anthropological studies where humans used networks of friends for survival. This reminds me of our student success efforts and the critical nature of broad networks of support systems for our students to navigate and reach their academic goals.<\/p>\n So what do bats think about \u201clight your fire?\u201d While the theme of fire for us is metaphorical, for bats it can be literal. It turns out bats may benefit from wildfires<\/a> as they are better able to forage, fly and find insects to eat, and to find roosting habitats when dense forests are replaced with open spaces created by forest fires. Additional research, led by bat ecologist Winifred Frick<\/a> of the University of California, Santa Cruz, reveals that \u201ca survey of bat activity in burned and unburned areas after a major wildfire in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains found no evidence of detrimental effects on bats one year after the fire. The findings suggest that bats are resilient to high-severity fire, and some species may even benefit from the effects of fire on the landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n So far, RB is LOVING our theme! But what about other creatures in our world and their role in purpose and belonging?<\/p>\n Human Connection to Animals:<\/b><\/p>\n Closely linked to last week\u2019s blog<\/a>on \u201cPurpose and Belonging to Support Mental Health and Wellbeing,\u201d the article \u201cHow Animals Provide a Sense of Purpose<\/a>\u201d demonstrates how animals can support both purpose and belonging in several ways:<\/p>\n There is a special bond between humans and animals, especially their pets. Dogs are closely linked to belonging as most trainers ascertain that \u201cdogs have a pack mentality like their forefather the wolf. When they suddenly become the lone wolf, their sense of belonging is challenged.\u201d If you have ever walked the halls of an animal shelter, you will remember the sad looks on each dog\u2019s face that was isolated.<\/p>\n In \u201cDo Dogs Feel they Belong<\/a>,\u201d a study is cited on “loved-up looks\u201d between dogs and their owners. An animal behaviorist in Japan studied the emotions of dogs and humans when they look into each other\u2019s eyes and found a significant increase in the oxytocin hormone<\/a> or \u201clove hormone\u201d in both the pups (130%) and their human companions (300%):<\/p>\n \u201cThe history of dogs <\/i>belonging<\/i><\/b> to a human society goes back to the ancients who endorsed this belief, sharing their lives with canines and even being buried alongside their beloved pups. Even in ancient times, dogs were part of a human dynasty and deemed content in their role as companions. The wolf who goes through life as part of a pack has become the dog who lives comfortably with a different species. The need for all creatures to belong is founded not only on the biology of creation, but a deep-seated feeling that this is their <\/i>purpose<\/i><\/b>.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Belen Loza, in \u201cUnsung Heroes: 10 Ways Animals Help Us<\/a>,\u201d beautifully ties our last two blogs\u2019s themes together–sustainability and mental health–in her opening line stating, \u201canimals play a key role in environmental protection and human wellness.\u201d The purpose of the earth\u2019s creatures is closely blended with ours with examples like bees as pollinators to sustain life, beavers to combat climate change, narwhals (unicorns of the sea) used by NASA \u201cto collect data from the hard-to-reach depths of the Arctic on water salinity, temperature, and impact of the increasingly warm ocean water on Greenland\u2019s glaciers.\u201d<\/p>\n Pathways Alignment<\/b><\/p>\n ACC offers several degrees and programs that involve animal-related careers:<\/p>\n Aspiring veterinarians can get their start here with a pre-medical Associate of Science<\/a> degree before transferring to a four-year university.<\/p>\n Students who are interested in providing nursing care to animals can complete a certificate program for veterinary assistants<\/a> in the Continuing Education department or an Associate of Applied Science in veterinary technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Veterinary Technology<\/a> Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS) is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) and is under the direction of Department Chair Dr. Kerry Coombs. They are located on the Elgin campus with a state of the art facility and large animal pastures that allow cattle to graze on campus.<\/b><\/p>\n The Agricultural Sciences<\/a> program, under the direction of Department Chair <\/b>Savannah Rugg,<\/b>allows students to learn about sustainable agriculture, soil and water conservation, soil science, product marketing, horticulture, animal science, and small farming. ACC has a 17-acre Sustainable Student Farm located at ACC Elgin Campus consisting of 1-acre in organic vegetable production, 1-acre fruit tree orchard, and 15-acres in rotational grazing pasture for sheep production.<\/p>\n ACC\u2019s Biology program<\/a>, under the direction of Department Chair <\/b>Rick Fofi,<\/b> provides foundational courses and offers an Associate of Science Degree (AS) in Biology<\/a>. The Best Accredited Colleges website shows a degree in biology<\/a> can be applied to several different animal-related careers that often involve hands-on interactions.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/instruction.austincc.edu\/cochrane\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/2021\/10\/rene-riegal-qAts81pZrbg-unsplash.jpeg?resize=640%2C616&ssl=1\")
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