A team of researchers at Arizona State University is using field recordings to enhance understanding of the Mexican free-tailed bat, a species that thrives in urban areas like the “Phoenix Bat Cave,” located at the border of Phoenix and Paradise Valley. The project aims to reveal the hidden sounds of these bats, which are typically inaudible to the human ear.
Exploring Multispecies Awareness
Since the 1990s, this tunnel has been home to around 10,000 bats, but their high-frequency calls often go unnoticed. The research team, supported by a grant from the Humanities Institute, seeks to foster a deeper awareness of the ecological relationships between humans and other species. Primary investigator Dan Gilfillan emphasized the importance of recognizing that cities are built around human needs, stating, “Cities like Phoenix are built almost entirely around human needs.”
Gilfillan notes that understanding multispecies interactions is essential for nurturing these relationships and envisioning inclusive futures. The project also connects to a broader global conversation about environmental rights, as seen in New Zealand’s legal recognition of the Whanganui River and Ecuador’s constitutional rights for nature.
Innovative Sound Recording Techniques
The research involves collaboration with students from the Arizona School for the Arts, who are employing unique methods to capture and interpret bat sounds. Using 360-degree spherical recordings, students can create immersive auditory experiences, allowing listeners to perceive sounds from various directions. Additionally, ultrasonic recorders capture frequencies that humans can’t typically hear, with software transforming these recordings into audible formats.
Following the sound capture, students are engaging in creative projects that respond to their findings, including composing music that integrates bat calls and crafting narratives from a bat’s perspective. This process is designed to enhance their ecological imagination, which helps them understand their place in the natural world.
Community Engagement and Future Plans
More recordings are planned, with findings set to be shared with the Maricopa Flood Control District. This collaboration aims to produce outreach materials that promote awareness about the endangered bat population.
In addition to this project, the Soundscape Imaginaries team will host David George Haskell, a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, during Humanities Week. Haskell will present a public lecture and workshop focused on the significance of attentive listening to uncover insights about ecologies and histories.
Source: Arizona State University
