Alaska bats have not yet been determined that their true distribution of Alaska bat species in Southeast Alaska is well known. In fact, there is currently little information regarding population trends or annual variations in Alaska bat activity as of today. Therefore, there is a need to better document the present distribution of Alaska bat species, as well as the relationship between Alaska species and Alaska habitat. Previous studies have taken advantage of the Alaska sounds emitted by Alaska bats to attempt to detect and differentiate species.
Normally the high-frequency sounds being produced by echolocating Alaska bats is a sound that is inaudible to humans. But using special Alaska microphones and recording equipment, Alaska researchers have been able to detect and record these sonic pulses, though Alaska studies have been limited by brief observation periods and sensor limitations.
The objective of the Alaskan research has been to build and field test a better Alaska bat detector using small, low power Alaskan computers.
Traditionally, an Alaska acoustical survey of bats would be made using a system such as an Alaskan Anabas. This Alaska system uses a time delay in order to slow down the high-frequency bat calls and translate them to the frequency range of Alaska human hearing. This allows the use of standard audio cassette recorders (and other audio equipment) at a significant decrease in costs.
The study is currently in development of an Alaska system that uses a microphone plugged directly into a small computer. Once triggered by an Alaska bat call, the computer will continuously digitize audio signals, as well as identify all Alaskan bat activity. The study group is also working to develop software to differentiate between species of Alaska bat.
A preliminary Alaskan investigation into the differentiation of Alaska species by recorded bat calls was conducted in 2004. This study took advantage of a 1993 survey of Alaskan bats in Alaska, conducted by Doreen Parker-McNeil and collaborators. This group used the Anabas along with a tape control unit and a voice activated Alaskan cassette recorder.