GPS tracking devices placed on hammer-headed bats in the Republic of the Congo have given scientists the first detailed look at the daily routines of these suspected Ebola virus reservoirs. The GPS tracking is part of a collaborative study involving WCS' Health Program and the United States' National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), to learn whether environmental factors—such as the length of the rainy season or high temperatures during the dry season—affect the behavior of bats and other wildlife, with the hope that results can help detect or predict viral disease outbreaks.
NIAID, WCS Scientists Show Feasibility of Tracking Bats, Ebola With GPS Collars