Dr Kieran O'Malley
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kezomalley.bsky.social
Dr Kieran O'Malley
@kezomalley.bsky.social
Research Manager at African Bat Conservation @africanbatcon.bsky.social | PhD on barbastelle bats 🦇 | Bat Conservation Trust Vincent Weir Award winner 🏆 | Caver, climber, kayaker, mountain biker

https://www.instagram.com/k.d.omalley/
📢 New paper from my PhD! 🦇

Using 3D reconstructions of barbastelle bat flight paths over roads, we found that increasing canopy cover leads to lower flight heights, elevating collision risk.

@vincentwt.bsky.social @sussex.ac.uk
#PhD #Bats #Ecology #Conservation

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Increasing canopy cover elevates vehicle collision risk for barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus) at roads - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Increasing canopy cover elevates vehicle collision risk for barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus) at roads
www.nature.com
October 25, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Here is a very cool piebald Ethiopian epauletted fruit bat (Epomophorus labiatus) that we caught last month in Lilongwe, Malawi! 🦇

Piebaldism is a rare genetic condition caused by the absence of melonocytes in certain patches of skin and fur.

#bats #research #fieldwork #malawi #wildlife
July 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Anyone have any thoughts what the cause of this baldness could be in this Angolan free-tailed bat? Caught just now in Kuti Wildlife Reserve, Malawi!

#bats #Malawi #fieldwork #africa #nature #wildlife
July 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Here’s a striking large-eared free-tailed bat (Otomops martiensseni) from Ntchisi Forest Reserve, one of Malawi’s last rainforests 🌳

This was the first record of this species in Malawi for @africanbatcon.bsky.social 🦇🎉

#bats #ntchisi #Malawi #conservation #fieldwork #rainforest
June 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
We recently visited the site and spotted the bats ourselves—confirming they’re slit-faced bats (Nycteris sp.). Some great footage captured by Kuti Wildlife Reserve! 🦇🦔

#Wildlife #Bats #CameraTrap #Coexistence #Malawi #Nature
A rare glimpse into shared wild spaces! 🦇🦔 Camera trap footage from Kuti Wildlife Reserve shows a porcupine family and slit-faced bats (Nycteris sp.) sharing a burrow—Kuti’s first confirmed porcupine sighting!

#Wildlife #CameraTrap #Bats #Porcupines #Coexistence #Malawi #AfricanWildlife
May 30, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Many years later, I finally got a good slow-mo of a bat release—helped by the fact it was a big slow bat: the Wahlberg’s epauletted fruit bat (Epomophorus wahlbergi), caught near the tea plantations of Mount Mulanje🦇⛰️☕️

#bats #Malawi #mulanje #mountmulanje #fieldwork #nature #wildlife #conservation
May 12, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Whilst we try not to catch birds whilst mist netting for bats, this nightjar was certainly a nice surprise! Caught at Kumbali Game Reserve just outside Lilongwe, Malawi 🇲🇼 🐦‍⬛

#nightjar #birds #bats #nature #fieldwork #lilongwe #malawi #wildlife
March 25, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Last month, my team at @africanbatcon.bsky.social did some research at Kuti Wildlife Reserve. Whilst there, we were joined by a few guests — free-tailed bat pups! 🦇

The pups had fallen from their roost, but we managed to reunite them with their mothers after some care

#Bats #Conservation #Wildlife
March 12, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Two for one! We knew from radiotracking that there were a few lions in the area, but it was a nice surprise to have them join us while we watched the cheetah. A worthwhile weekend escape with @leastracq.bsky.social to Liwonde National Park! 🦁🐆

#Wildlife #LiwondeNationalPark #Lions #Cheetah #Malawi
March 9, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Exciting opportunity to join our team at African Bat Conservation! 🦇 We're looking for a Research Assistant to support fieldwork across Malawi.

#conservationjobs #bats #wildlifejobs #research
We are hiring! 🎉 Join us in Malawi as a Research Assistant and help advance bat conservation research. Be part of the team working in the field on exciting projects! 🦇

To learn more and apply, visit:
www.africanbatconservation.org/vacancies

#conservationjobs #conservationcareers #bats #research
February 14, 2025 at 12:29 PM
I found this beautiful stray dog last night. I wonder what breed it is? 🤔

#Malawi #Africa #Cute #Scorpion #Nature #Widlife #KutiWildifeReserve
February 13, 2025 at 4:06 PM
POV: You get distracted by some bats in a tree for just a moment… and a monkey steals your dinner 🐒🌳

#WildlifeEncounters #MonkeyBusiness #VervetMonkey #Monkey #Malawi #KutiWildlifeReserve
February 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Please do join! I'll be on a panel of bat experts later today, discussing all things bats! 🦇

#Bats #Conservation #Wildlife #Ecology
Want to learn more about bats? 🦇

Later today, we’ll be joining other African conservation organisations to separate fact from fiction about bats!

Register for this free Zoom session here: tinyurl.com/5bvk7r95

#Bats #Conservation #Wildlife #Ecology #MythBusting
February 6, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Myself and the @africanbatcon.bsky.social team have escaped the city for some fieldwork at Kuti Wildlife Reserve, helping a student investigate how lighting affects bat behaviour! 🦇🌿

We started the day with a few zebras for company at breakfast! 🦓☕

#Fieldwork #WildlifeConservation #Bats #Malawi
February 5, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Being shit on by a straw-coloured fruit bat is just another day in the office 💩 🦇

This is normal for everyone, right...?

#bats #fieldwork #poop #splat #nature #officelife #malawi #lilongwe #wildlife #poophappens
January 30, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Bat survey with a local bar is always a nice bonus 🦇

...and of course, the hundreds of free-tailed bats we had emerging was quite nice too

#bats #lilongwe #Malawi #survey #roost #nature
January 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Straw-coloured fruit bats emerging at dusk! 🦇

My team at @africanbatcon.bsky.social and Land & Lake Safaris hosted a bat walk in Lilongwe on Friday, where we were joined by around 80 people. Great to see so much interest in bats!

#conservation #bats #nature #lilongwe #malawi #fruitbats #wildlife
January 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
It was nice to spend a few weeks away from Malawi and back to the UK for some miserable weather. New Years in the Lake District was particularly wet and windy, but otherwise fun 🌬🌧⛰️

#lakedistrict #outdoors #hiking #nature #lakes #mountains #lakewindermere #coniston #pikeofblisco
January 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Revisited Nkhoma mountain for some bouldering last weekend. Very fortunate to have this amazing spot just a short drive from Lilongwe! 🧗‍♂️⛰️

@leastracq.bsky.social #bouldrering #climbing #mountains #nkhoma #Malawi #outdoors #nature #adventure
December 16, 2024 at 8:06 AM
One of the few free-tailed bats we caught last night with @africanbatcon.bsky.social 🦇

This one's most likely the white-bellied (Mops niveiventer) or the Angolan (Mops condylurus) free-tailed bat.

#Bats #Conservation #Surveys #Lilongwe #Malawi
December 10, 2024 at 11:56 AM
Come join us at @africanbatcon.bsky.social! 🦇

We're hiring a Research Assistant based in Lilongwe, with time spent across our various field sites. Gain experience in trapping, acoustics, and roost surveys. Perfect for bat lovers!

Please share!

To apply: www.africanbatconservation.org/vacancies
Vacancies | Africanbatconserv
Home
www.africanbatconservation.org
December 6, 2024 at 2:49 PM
I've recently joined the team at African Bat Conservation, a non-profit organisation based in Malawi🦇

To stay updated on their latest research and conservation activities, be sure to give them a follow @africanbatcon.bsky.social

#bats #research #conservation #wildlife #nature
December 4, 2024 at 8:34 AM
It was a pleasure to attend, even if I had to borrow clothes since I didn't pack anything smart for Africa!
ABC was delighted to attend a cocktail night with her Worship the Mayor Councillor Esther Sagawa in Lilongwe on Nov 29th. Our Research Manager Dr Kieran O'Malley represented ABC & engaged with stakeholders to learn her plans for Lilongwe City.
#urbanecology #Malawi #lilongwemalawi #OneHealth
December 3, 2024 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Dr Kieran O'Malley
Cameroon leaf-nosed bat (Doryrhina camerunensis) from Nyungwe National Park - this was the first time this data deficient species had been detected in #Rwanda 🦇
December 3, 2024 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Dr Kieran O'Malley
Bat friends - don’t forget to follow the bat feed! 🦇

DM @davehb.bsky.social if you want to be added as a contributor

#BatSky

bsky.app/profile/did:...
December 2, 2024 at 3:59 PM