Background Information

The incredible tale of bat migration through the Sonoran Desert reads like a story from another planet. Lesser long-nosed bats are one of 11 species of nectar-feeding bats in North America. Their spring migration begins in late March and follows the "nectar corridor," a name scientists have given to a 1,000-mile pathway of cactus and agave plants that bloom in sequence from south to north. The corridor extends from Central Mexico to Arizona and New Mexico. As the flowers bloom, their nectar becomes the food that fuels the bats' journey. The flowers bloom at night, when bats are active. In a single night the bats may travel 100 miles or more.

Scientists recently discovered that as they travel from plant to plant these bats pollinate the flowers. Since pollination is essential in order for these desert plants to reproduce, this interdependence raises an important conservation question: What becomes of plants when their pollinators are endangered, as this bat is?

As part of an education campaign about importance of pollination, this migration story is being presented by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Bat Conservation International. As students track this migration they'll learn about the desert ecosystem and the critical, but often overlooked, role pollinators play in its survival. At the same time, they'll watch the skies for backyard bats and report their first spring sightings to Journey North. With the help of bat biologists, they'll compare and contrast the life histories of North America's bats and explore why some bats migrate while others "hang out" around home.