Wildlife & Animal Behavior – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 woodland 10 rodent 11 insects 12 bat detector

13 ears 14 disease 15 banana

16 caves 17 claws 18 wooden box

Mark: Hello, I’m Mark, a wildlife biologist, or more specifically, a chiropterologist—an expert on bats. I’ve been fascinated by these incredible creatures since I was a boy. I spend a great deal of time outdoors observing them. While some of my colleagues travel to tropical rainforests or vast deserts, my current research is based in an ancient woodland, which is absolutely perfect for the specific species I study.

People have a lot of strange ideas about bats. Many think they are entirely blind, but that’s simply not true—they can actually see quite well. However, the biggest myth I hear is that bats are a type of flying rodent. They are actually in a completely separate group of mammals altogether, more closely related to primates than to mice.

Looking at their diet, there is a lot of variety globally. Some tropical bats love eating fresh fruit, and the famous vampire bats of South America feed on blood. But around here, their primary food source is insects, which they are experts at catching in mid-air during the night. A single bat can consume thousands of bugs in one evening.

To study them in the dark, we rely on modern technology. You might think we just use standard night-vision goggles or infrared cameras. But actually, a chiropterologist can utilize this detector to differentiate between various bat species based on the distinct acoustic signals they emit. We simply refer to this device as a bat detector, and I never go into the forest without it.

As you probably know, bats navigate using a system called echolocation. They make high-frequency sounds that bounce off surrounding objects. While they have very sharp teeth and extremely delicate wings, it is actually their oversized ears that are crucial for picking up these returning echoes and building a sound-map of their environment.

Unfortunately, bats are facing some very hard times globally. Habitat loss is a big issue, and climate change is certainly a growing concern for the future. Yet, the most devastating threat right now is a fungal disease that has wiped out millions of individuals across entire continents. It’s a tragic situation that we are working hard to solve.

Why should we care about saving them? Well, they are vital for a healthy ecosystem. Some birds are well known for spreading seeds, but bats are responsible for pollinating hundreds of plants. In fact, the survival of the wild banana relies heavily on bats visiting their flowers to drink nectar. Without them, these plants would struggle to reproduce.

During the cold months, when their food supply drops dramatically, they have to hibernate. They don’t generally migrate south like swallows or other birds do. Instead, they need to find a cold, damp, and dark place to survive. They might occasionally use old abandoned buildings, but the majority retreat into deep caves to sleep safely through the winter.

When you observe them resting, they have a highly unique posture. They don’t build intricate nests or sleep perched on branches like birds. They prefer to hang completely upside down, gripping tightly with their specialized claws. A special locking mechanism in their toes means they don’t even have to use any energy to hold on.

If you want to support your local bat populations, there are practical things you can do at home. You don’t need to put out special food or dishes of water. Instead, you can put up a wooden box on a tree or on the side of your house to give them a safe, secure place to roost. It’s a simple action that makes a huge difference.

9 electric motor 10 owls 11 insects 12 steep banks

13 nests 14 wings 15 heavy rain

16 bridge 17 plastic waste 18 wildlife charity

Mark: Welcome aboard, everyone! I’m Mark, and I’ll be your wildlife guide on today’s riverboat excursion. It’s a beautiful afternoon to observe the local ecosystem. We used to run this tour on a traditional diesel boat, but the noise simply scared everything away. Now, we use a specially designed electric motor, which means we can glide silently past the animals without causing them any distress.

If you look up at the tree canopy, you might see some of our resident birds of prey. You’ll often see hawks hunting in the daytime around these parts. However, just last twilight, I was amazed to see several owls soaring overhead, which is quite a rare and exciting sight for our tour groups.

As we move into shallower waters, peer over the edge of the boat. You might just spot some brown trout swimming against the current. People often assume they eat smaller fish to survive, but actually, their diet consists almost entirely of insects that accidentally fall onto the water’s surface from the overhanging branches.

Keep an eye on the edges of the river, too. We have a very healthy population of water voles. They don’t build nests in the reeds like you might expect from a water-dwelling creature. Instead, they burrow deep into the steep banks to keep their young safe from predators like foxes.

Coming up on our left are some of our most famous residents: the mute swans. They look incredibly graceful, and people always want to feed them bread. I must warn you, though, they will fiercely guard their nests during this season. So, we make sure to keep a respectful distance to avoid any sudden displays of aggression.

Now, hovering near the water lilies are my personal favorites: dragonflies. Some people are fascinated by their bright neon colors, but for me, it’s their transparent wings that are truly spectacular, especially when the afternoon sunlight hits them.

The ecosystem here is actually quite delicate and easily influenced by the weather. We had a severe drought two years ago that caused a lot of problems, but it was the heavy rain last month that really disrupted the breeding grounds for many of our water birds. The water levels rose far too quickly.

As evening approaches, the bats will start to come out. We won’t see them flying right now in the daylight, but as we turn the boat around near the old mill, look closely under the stone bridge. You can sometimes spot them sleeping upside down in the cool shadows.

Before we finish, I want to talk briefly about our conservation work. While chemical pollution used to be our biggest fear a few decades ago, nowadays, it’s the sheer volume of plastic waste that causes the most harm to the creatures living in and along this river. We spend hours pulling it out of the water.

If you’ve enjoyed today’s trip and want to help protect this environment, you could leave a tip for the crew. But better yet, we highly recommend that you become a member of a local wildlife charity, which actively funds the habitat restoration projects you’ve seen today. Thank you for joining me, and enjoy the rest of the journey!