Thirty-two people attended the 2nd Annual Meletse Research Meeting, which was held on 17 August 2018. Notably, this included landowners and representatives for Meletse and from the Cradle area. Their interest in, and understanding of, the research being undertaken on their properties, in particular with regards the Natal Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus natalensis) roosting in the maternity (Meletse) and hibernaculum (Cradle) caves, is valued. The Speleological Exploration Club was also represented, as they are assisting, documenting bats in various caves, and reporting historical and current roost sites for the Natal Long-fingered Bat.
This annual meeting provides an opportunity primarily for the students to report on their research findings from projects mostly based at Meletse. It also allows everyone involved a chance to better understand the scope of the different projects and their interconnectedness. This has proved valuable not only for the students with regards the relevance of their research, but also in planning ongoing fieldwork and new projects.
The presentations, while primarily of a zoonotic nature, covered a range of topics indicative of the collaborative nature of the research. These included the effects of fencing within the broader landscape around Meletse, seasonal changes in insect abundance, and discovery of new pathogens, as well as the lack of pathogens in samples from the Meletse.
Below is the full list of the presentations, which, where applicable, includes the degree for which the research was being undertaken.
Assessing the extent of and changes in the wildlife sector in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Cecilia Prinsloo (MSc), Eugène Maris Chair Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria.
Winging it: Climatic correlates of migration timing in African bat species. Mariette Pretorius (PhD), Eugène Maris Chair Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria.
Temporal changes in food resource availability between two karst bat assemblages. Tlaishego Nkoana (MSc), Eugène Maris Chair Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria.
Epidemiology of paramyxoviruses and future work. Marinda Mortlock (PhD) and Erika Bruck (MSc), Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria
Coronavirus bio-surveillance: Investigating the natural bat hosts and potential spill over species in southern Africa. Dr. Marike Geldenhuys (Postdoctoral fellow), Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
Surveillance of the rabies-related Duvenhage virus in insectivorous bat species in South Africa. Colyn Grobler (MSc), Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Monique Shanahan (MSc), Eugène Maris Chair Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria.
Correlating BMI with pathogen prevalence. Dr. Low de Vries (Postdoctoral fellow), Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
Update on owl diet analysis at Meletse: Caution of subsample interpretation. Sarah Oxley, Emma Swartz and Rudzani Thangambi, AfricanBats NPC, DTS-NRF interns.
Nucleic acid detection and characterization of paramyxoviruses in bats and non-volant mammals in Meletse, Limpopo. Lebogang Sibiya (MSc), Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
Epidemiology of Hanta and Arena viruses in non-volant mammals in South Africa. Candice Cesutermann (PhD), Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
Surveillance for Mokola virus in small non-volant mammals. William McManon (MSc), Centre for Zoonotic Diseases, Medical School, University of Pretoria.
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