Paul Cryan, PhD
Paul Cryan is a Research Biologist at the Fort Collins Science Center.
Mysteries, underdogs, and gadgets have always fascinated me, so for the past two decades I have focused my research on using technology to reveal how some of the 43+ species of U.S. bats live their cryptic lives. My particular interests include uncovering bat migration behaviors and seasonal movements, discovering the details of their winter hideouts and survival strategies, and understanding how infectious diseases influence bat populations. What began as general interest in an understudied group of mammals has grown into a practical search for answers to two of the most pressing threats currently facing U.S. bats - fatalities at wind turbines and the emerging disease known as white-nose syndrome. My basic research approach is to start by synthesizing natural history and existing information, then test plausible new hypotheses in a scientifically defensible way through observational and experimental field studies. I gravitate toward new collaborations and technologies that take us beyond existing methods and expand our abilities to follow and discover what (and how) bats are doing out there in the dark.
Professional Experience
2003 to present, Research Biologist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO
1999 to 2003, Student Trainee (SCEP), USGS Arid Lands Field Station (Fort Collins Science Center), Albuquerque, NM
1994 to 1997 & 1999 to 2002, Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
1998 to 1999, Wildlife Biologist, USGS Arid Lands Field Station (Fort Collins Science Center), Albuquerque, NM
1995 to 1997, Biological Science Technician, USGS Arid Lands Field Station (Fort Collins Science Center), Albuquerque, NM
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Biology, University of New Mexico, 2003
M.S. Biology, University of New Mexico, 1997
B.A. Biology, The Evergreen State College, 1991
Science and Products
Not to put too fine a point on it - does increasing precision of geographic referencing improve species distribution models for a wide-ranging migratory bat?
Using sutures to attach miniature tracking tags to small bats for multimonth movement and behavioral studies
Behavior of the Hawaiian Hawaiian Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) at wind turbines and its distribution across the North Ko'olau Mountains, O'ahu
Optimizing conservation strategies for Mexican freetailed bats: a population viability and ecosystem services approach
Watching the dark: New surveillance cameras are changing bat research
Bat flight and zoonotic viruses
Behavior of bats at wind turbines
Wind turbines are causing unprecedented numbers of bat fatalities. Many fatalities involve tree-roosting bats, but reasons for this higher susceptibility remain unknown. To better understand behaviors associated with risk, we monitored bats at three experimentally manipulated wind turbines in Indiana, United States, from July 29 to October 1, 2012, using thermal cameras and other methods. We obser
Continental-scale, seasonal movements of a heterothermic migratory tree bat
Market forces and technological substitutes cause fluctuations in the value of bat pest-control services for cotton
White-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host
Moving across the border: Modeling migratory bat populations
Pathophysiology of white-nose syndrome in bats: A mechanistic model linking wing damage to mortality
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Not to put too fine a point on it - does increasing precision of geographic referencing improve species distribution models for a wide-ranging migratory bat?
Using sutures to attach miniature tracking tags to small bats for multimonth movement and behavioral studies
Behavior of the Hawaiian Hawaiian Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) at wind turbines and its distribution across the North Ko'olau Mountains, O'ahu
Optimizing conservation strategies for Mexican freetailed bats: a population viability and ecosystem services approach
Watching the dark: New surveillance cameras are changing bat research
Bat flight and zoonotic viruses
Behavior of bats at wind turbines
Wind turbines are causing unprecedented numbers of bat fatalities. Many fatalities involve tree-roosting bats, but reasons for this higher susceptibility remain unknown. To better understand behaviors associated with risk, we monitored bats at three experimentally manipulated wind turbines in Indiana, United States, from July 29 to October 1, 2012, using thermal cameras and other methods. We obser
Continental-scale, seasonal movements of a heterothermic migratory tree bat
Market forces and technological substitutes cause fluctuations in the value of bat pest-control services for cotton
White-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host
Moving across the border: Modeling migratory bat populations
Pathophysiology of white-nose syndrome in bats: A mechanistic model linking wing damage to mortality
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.