From Zoo de Granby to the Island of Flowers: Expertise on the Move!
The globetrotting biologist Louis Lazure recently returned from a scientific mission to Martinique, the Caribbean Island known for its dreamy beaches. As tempting as a tropical getaway may be, our intrepid "Mr. Bat" didn’t go there to relax—his expertise in chiropterans was put to good use in various ways. Here’s a look back at a busy trip dedicated to the benefit of endangered species!
Rain and mosquitoes go hand in hand with evening fieldwork in the tropics—but that didn’t stop Louis from pursuing his two main objectives. The primary goal of the trip was to accompany our intern Saül (a master's student in Natural Ecosystem Management at the Université de Sherbrooke and ECOSUR in Mexico), who was beginning his six-month internship in Martinique. His project focuses on the conservation and enhancement of bat roosts in the northwest region of the island. Louis was there as both internship supervisor and bat specialist.
Two major components in this project!
First, it involves characterizing and promoting a roost of about 800 bats located in 1810-era ruins in Saint-Pierre, on the Caribbean coast. In addition to collecting data on the colony and its tourist visits, several awareness initiatives are planned: an information kiosk, distribution of educational materials, creation of an interpretive sign, and a report with recommendations for site managers.
The second part of the scientific mission involved identifying new bat roosts through collaboration with local authorities and outreach to the general public. The northwest sector of the island is less well-known in terms of “significant” bat roosts.
Saül will later be accompanied by local partners to explore potential roost sites and surrounding areas in order to assess their ecological importance in terms of number of individuals, species present, and potential threats. Productive working sessions helped establish a solid plan to implement over the coming months.
All of our conservation efforts are carried out in collaboration with local ecologist Nathalie Duporge, who also works with the Zoo on marine turtle and iguana projects!
The team also benefits from the financial support of the Direction de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement, the Martinique Regional Nature Park, and the Municipality of Saint-Pierre. To make the most of Louis’ time in Martinique and strengthen partnerships, his action-packed trip ended with a workshop on acoustic bat surveys, which included an evening of data collection followed by a morning of presentations and analysis. He also had the opportunity to discuss bat-related awareness strategies, an area in which Zoo de Granby has extensive experience.
We are very proud to support conservation initiatives in natural habitats and to share the expertise developed and refined at Zoo de Granby with international partners.
