@article{

   author = {Garcês, Andreia  and Soeiro, Vanessa  and Lóio, Sara  and Pires, Isabel },

   title = {Causes of morbidity and mortality of bats in a wildlife recovery center in Portugal},

   journal = {Journal of Bat Research & Conservation},

   volume = {10},

   number = {1},

   abstract = {Over the last decade, research on bats has been flourishing in many aspects of their biology. An increasing number of studies focussing on infectious agents in bats are being published, especially regarding zoonotic pathogens. However, there is only limited knowledge regarding the causes of death in these animals. In fact, when bat carcasses are found, or injured bats die in recovery centers, the post-mortem examination in this group of animals is not a routine procedure. The aim of this study is to report the main causes of morbidity and mortality in free ranging bats in Portugal using bats that were submitted to the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wild Animals of Gaia’s Biological Park. During the period of three months, 20 animals were subjected to

post-mortem examination. The main cause of morbidity and mortality was trauma, with lesions in the upper limbs, such as fractures and lacerations of the wing membrane. Although only a limited number of animals was included, this work intends to alert to the importance of studies concerning the causes of death in bats.},

   keywords = {Chiroptera

European bats

necropsy

mortality

morbidity

pathology

Vespertilionidae},

   DOI = {https://doi.org/10.14709/BarbJ.10.1.2017.08 },

   year = {2017},

   type = {Journal Article}

}