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Merlin Tuttle (Classic) | Bat Scientist, History Stories for Kids · Dorktales Storytime | Stories for Kids Who Love Big Adventures

• 1:09
  Jonathan: Hello, Dork Squad.
• 1:10
  Jonathan: I'm Jonathan Cormur, and you're listening to Dorktales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture-loving grown-ups.
• 1:17
  Jonathan: And this is an inspiring story about a hidden hero of history.
• 1:23
  Theme Song: It's a beautiful day for a story, adventure, and glory, new friends and old ones too.
• 1:30
  Theme Song: It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tale, so let us regale you.
• 1:44
  Redge: Alright, Jonathan, I'm ready to go.
• 1:46
  Redge: Let's get this show on the road.
• 1:48
  Redge: Let's do this storytelling thing.
• 1:51
  Jonathan: Oh.
• 1:51
  Jonathan: Uh wow.
• 1:53
  Jonathan: Okay.
• 1:55
  Redge: Well, you don't need to sound so surprised.
• 1:58
  Jonathan: Oh, I'm I'm sorry, I just not used to you being on time.
• 2:03
  Jonathan: In fact, I usually tell you we're meeting earlier to make sure you show up when I actually want to start each podcast.
• 2:13
  Redge: You what?
• 2:13
  Redge: Well, no need to worry about that today, as you can see.
• 2:20
  Jonathan: Right, right.
• 2:21
  Jonathan: Uh uh let me get my notes and we'll get started.
• 2:25
  Redge: Ah?
• 2:25
  Redge: No need to worry about that today either.
• 2:29
  Jonathan: Oh?
• 2:29
  Jonathan: I brought my notes along.
• 2:34
  Redge: You You brought notes?
• 2:37
  Redge: That's right.
• 2:39
  Redge: Take a look.
• 2:41
  Jonathan: Redge This is a pile of leaves.
• 2:45
  Redge: Yes, my field notes.
• 2:47
  Redge: I've been diligently studying up.
• 2:51
  Redge: And in fact, am good friends with one of the hidden heroes myself.
• 2:57
  Jonathan: You are?
• 2:58
  Jonathan: Wait.
• 2:59
  Jonathan: One of them?
• 3:02
  Redge: That's right.
• 3:03
  Redge: We are both nocturnal creatures, you see, preferring to sleep during the day and explore at night.
• 3:12
  Jonathan: Well that is what nocturnal means.
• 3:15
  Jonathan: And I mean I guess today's hero would have to be at least somewhat nocturnal.
• 3:21
  Redge: What do you mean?
• 3:23
  Redge: Tabitha is most certainly one hundred percent nocturnal.
• 3:28
  Jonathan: Wait, Tabitha?
• 3:30
  Redge: Of course.
• 3:31
  Redge: Tabitha Vampiria III Today's hidden hero
• 3:37
  Jonathan: Uh Redge
• 3:39
  Redge: OK, I know what you're going to say.
• 3:42
  Redge: We're talking about bats, plural, and Tabitha is just one bat, but she's told so many amazing tales about her life that I think her perspective will truly help this story take flight.
• 3:59
  Jonathan: Oh, I don't doubt it.
• 4:00
  Jonathan: But Redge, I
• 4:02
  Redge: I may be able to get her to hang out for an up close and personal interview.
• 4:08
  Redge: Haha Wouldn't that be something else, eh?
• 4:12
  Jonathan: Yeah, it would be amazing, but
• 4:14
  Redge: a hidden heroes of history exclusive, brought to you by Reginald T.
• 4:20
  Redge: Hedgehog and his most exceptional winged friend.
• 4:24
  Jonathan: Redge We're not talking about bats exactly.
• 4:31
  Redge: Why whatever do you mean?
• 4:33
  Redge: I took a peek at your notes and was certain I saw the word bats written all over them.
• 4:39
  Jonathan: Well it's true.
• 4:40
  Jonathan: That's because today we're talking about a fellow who has spent years studying bats, and why they are such an important part of the natural world.
• 4:50
  Redge: I must say, that does sound fascinating.
• 4:54
  Jonathan: And I must admit that I think he would definitely agree with you.
• 4:58
  Jonathan: Bats really are hidden heroes.
• 5:02
  Redge: Ooh Tabitha's going to love this.
• 5:05
  Redge: Alright then, what's this chap's name?
• 5:09
  Redge: Do tell, do tell.
• 5:11
  Jonathan: Today's hidden hero of history is Merlin Tuttle.
• 5:18
  Redge: Oh, this is going to be another delightful tale.
• 5:22
  Jonathan: Merlin Tuttle is an accomplished ecologist, conservationist, chiroprologist, writer, wildlife photographer.
• 5:30
  Redge: Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down so I can add this to my field notes.
• 5:34
  Redge: Ecologist ecologist?
• 5:39
  Jonathan: Oh, ecology is the study of living things and their environment.
• 5:44
  Jonathan: So ecologists examine how living things depend on one another for survival, and how they use natural resources like air, soil, and water to stay alive.
• 6:01
  Redge: Ah, excellent! And um conservationist Conservationist?
• 6:09
  Jonathan: A person who does work to protect and preserve our environment and wildlife.
• 6:14
  Redge: Astounding and uh ooh boy, uh chiropterologist chiropterologist did I say that right?
• 6:25
  Jonathan: Yes.
• 6:26
  Jonathan: That's someone who studies bats.
• 6:30
  Redge: Ah wonderful I'm definitely going to share that one with Ms.
• 6:34
  Redge: Vampiria.
• 6:36
  Jonathan: Oh, you should also tell her that the word literally means hand wing.
• 6:41
  Jonathan: Because for Tabitha and all bats, their wings are actually their hands.
• 6:47
  Redge: I say.
• 6:48
  Redge: So how did Mr Tuttle become a Chiroptera expert?
• 6:54
  Jonathan: Well, at the age of seventeen, Merlin Tuttle learned about a bat cave near his home in Tennessee.
• 7:01
  Redge: Ooh, how fortunate.
• 7:03
  Jonathan: He convinced his father to take him to the cave and venture in alongside him.
• 7:08
  Jonathan: He started exploring a specific portion of the cave when he was suddenly surrounded by a swarm of grey bats.
• 7:15
  Redge: Ooh, that must have been a real sight.
• 7:18
  Jonathan: Mr Tuttle found that the bats were very gentle creatures, and he realized he was standing in their exit, so they were just swarming to try and leave the cave.
• 7:30
  Redge: I dare say, what a first meeting to have with his new bat buddies.
• 7:35
  Jonathan: He grew curious about the bats and their behaviors.
• 7:39
  Jonathan: Returning to the cave often with his parents and observing them, one of the first things he noticed was that the bats would disappear for long stretches of time, even though he had read in books that the gray bats didn't migrate.
• 7:53
  Redge: Migrate, which of course is when a creature moves from one place to another based on the seasons.
• 8:01
  Jonathan: Hey, that's right, Redge.
• 8:02
  Jonathan: He read that migration was not a behavior of the gray bats he was visiting at the cave.
• 8:08
  Jonathan: But he concluded that it must be, since he saw evidence of them disappearing during certain times of the year.
• 8:17
  Redge: Ooh, how fascinating.
• 8:18
  Redge: Boy, am I going to have a lot to relate to Tabitha tonight.
• 8:23
  Jonathan: After documenting his findings in his own field notes, Mr.
• 8:27
  Jonathan: Tuttle's mother drove him to meet scientists from the Smithsonian's Division of Mammals in Washington, DC.
• 8:35
  Redge: Ooh, sounds official.
• 8:38
  Jonathan: Where they shared tools to help him observe the bats more closely, and the rest is well, history.
• 8:45
  Redge: A wonderful kickoff to a career in bat research
• 8:50
  Jonathan: and more.
• 8:51
  Redge: Oh, before we get to that, I'd love to take a pause here and discuss some of my research.
• 9:00
  Jonathan: Oh all right, Redge
• 9:02
  Redge: I think it's crucial to share just why bats are so important, and why Mr Tuttle discovering this new lifelong passion really matters.
• 9:13
  Jonathan: You know?
• 9:14
  Jonathan: That's an excellent idea.
• 9:17
  Redge: Do you know what a pollinator is?
• 9:20
  Jonathan: Uh explain it for the folks at home, Redge.
• 9:24
  Redge: Righto.
• 9:24
  Redge: Well a pollinator is an animal that goes from flower to flower in order to help them reproduce.
• 9:32
  Redge: Our friend the bat, is a pollinator, and bats spread the seeds of different fruit so that more plants can grow and thrive.
• 9:44
  Jonathan: Hey, excellent research, Redge.
• 9:46
  Jonathan: I'm impressed.
• 9:48
  Redge: Why, thank you.
• 9:50
  Jonathan: Did you also know that over three hundred species of fruit depend on bats to survive, like various peaches, mangoes, bananas, and guavas?
• 10:01
  Redge: Absolutely.
• 10:02
  Redge: Did you know that some bats eat insects, helping to keep populations in check and assisting our world's farmers?
• 10:12
  Jonathan: That's right.
• 10:13
  Jonathan: Bats help farmers grow more food without having to use harmful chemicals, since they come to eat the bugs that would normally damage the crops.
• 10:24
  Redge: Bats are an incredibly vital part of our ecosystems.
• 10:28
  Jonathan: That they are, and Mr Tuttle has worked his whole life to share that knowledge with people around the world, making sure that bats survive and thrive.
• 10:40
  Redge: How could anyone doubt how wonderful and important they are?
• 10:44
  Jonathan: Well, Redge, sometimes people are afraid of what they don't understand.
• 10:50
  Redge: Ah, too true, too true
• 10:53
  Jonathan: for many reasons, animals like bats can get a bad reputation that they simply don't deserve.
• 10:59
  Jonathan: It takes incredible people like Merlin Tuttle to show just why they matter.
• 11:05
  Jonathan: That all of us, even the smallest of plants and animals, are important.
• 11:11
  Redge: Even me?
• 11:14
  Jonathan: Of course, Redge.
• 11:16
  Redge: Ha! I knew it all along.
• 11:18
  Redge: But uh just wanted to hear you say it.
• 11:21
  Jonathan: Haha Yeah.
• 11:23
  Jonathan: Of course, Redge.
• 11:26
  Redge: So, now that that's been established, tell me more about Mr Tuttle's work.
• 11:31
  Jonathan: Well, Mr Tuttle started his study of grey bats when many thought that the species or type of bat were on the path to becoming extinct.
• 11:42
  Redge: Extinct?
• 11:43
  Redge: You mean the total disappearance of a species on this earth?
• 11:48
  Jonathan: That's right.
• 11:49
  Jonathan: But Mr Tuttle led the charge to protect them, learning about their needs, educating the public about their importance, and why they should be valued, and even getting them listed as an endangered species by the government.
• 12:04
  Redge: Ooh, which gives creatures additional protections.
• 12:08
  Jonathan: That's right.
• 12:09
  Jonathan: It offers more protection for the bats and their homes.
• 12:13
  Redge: So the grey bats are okay now?
• 12:16
  Jonathan: Oh you can say that again.
• 12:18
  Jonathan: Because of mister Tuttle's work, the population of grey bats has grown by the millions.
• 12:25
  Redge: Cheers!
• 12:27
  Jonathan: Mister Tuttle went on to create organizations like Bat Conservation International during a time when most people avoided chatting about bats.
• 12:36
  Redge: You mean there was no one else protecting these delightful dark winged doogoders?
• 12:44
  Jonathan: Well, like I shared before, bats were very misunderstood at the time.
• 12:49
  Jonathan: Mr Tuttle really paved the way for bat conservation.
• 12:53
  Redge: If I could, I'd thank him personally for helping my good friend Tabitha.
• 12:59
  Redge: And all the bats, of course.
• 13:02
  Jonathan: One of my favorite stories is of Mr.
• 13:05
  Jonathan: Tuttle saving the bats of the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas.
• 13:11
  Redge: Bats on the bridge?
• 13:13
  Jonathan: Yeah.
• 13:14
  Jonathan: Over one million bats, known as free-tailed bats, began living beneath the bridge, and many health officials and reporters were telling scary, negative stories about the harmless critters.
• 13:27
  Jonathan: Mr.
• 13:28
  Jonathan: Tuttle went out and rallied the community, the news, and even those same health officials to share why the bats were a safe and extremely positive presence for all Austin residents.
• 13:42
  Jonathan: The bridge went from being spooky to spectacular and is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state.
• 13:50
  Jonathan: His work at the bridge also jumpstarted his organization and many other like-minded organizations around the world.
• 13:59
  Redge: Holy cauldron of critters, Batman! What a hero!
• 14:04
  Jonathan: Mr.
• 14:04
  Jonathan: Tuttle has done countless things for these creatures.
• 14:07
  Jonathan: And he didn't even need a utility belt.
• 14:09
  Jonathan: He's traveled the world sharing his stories.
• 14:13
  Jonathan: He paved the way for hundreds of research projects.
• 14:16
  Jonathan: He's written books on bats.
• 14:18
  Jonathan: He mentors students and aids various conservation efforts across the globe.
• 14:23
  Jonathan: The list is endless.
• 14:25
  Jonathan: Oh, and we can't forget to talk about the thousands of photos he's taken of our bat friends.
• 14:33
  Redge: Oh really?
• 14:34
  Redge: Thousands?
• 14:37
  Jonathan: Thousands.
• 14:39
  Jonathan: Chances are, if you've seen a really excellent bat photo, it's the work of Mr.
• 14:45
  Jonathan: Tuttle.
• 14:45
  Jonathan: They're often used to teach, and have been seen in famous publications like National Geographic.
• 14:52
  Redge: Hm, I wonder if Tabitha's met Mr Tuttle.
• 14:56
  Redge: Ooh we're going to have a wonderful conversation tonight.
• 15:00
  Jonathan: It is pretty inspiring.
• 15:02
  Jonathan: He's still out there today, advocating for those awesome nocturnal pollinators.
• 15:08
  Redge: I'm very glad to know Mr Tuttle still champions the Chiroptera.
• 15:13
  Jonathan: Absolutely, Redge.
• 15:15
  Redge: You know me, I always love a story about a hero rooting for the underdog.
• 15:21
  Jonathan: Oh, it's even more than that.
• 15:24
  Redge: Do go on.
• 15:25
  Jonathan: Well, he's a hero who truly believes in how much each living thing matters in the world.
• 15:33
  Jonathan: Someone that knows that something as small as, say, a little free tailed bat has so much to offer and has a very big impact on each of us.
• 15:46
  Redge: I say, that makes me feel strong and hopeful and well too many good things to list.
• 15:56
  Jonathan: I couldn't agree more.
• 15:58
  Redge: Oh goodness, it looks like it's getting dark.
• 16:01
  Redge: I better head out and meet with Ms.
• 16:03
  Redge: Vampiria.
• 16:04
  Redge: I'm sure she'll be up and about soon.
• 16:07
  Redge: And boy oh boy, have we got a lot to discuss.
• 16:12
  Jonathan: Oh, uh I might tag along, if you don't mind.
• 16:16
  Jonathan: I've always wanted to meet one of our hidden heroes.
• 16:20
  Jonathan: Hidden Heroes of History is a Jon in character production.
• 16:24
  Jonathan: This story was written by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur.
• 16:29
  Jonathan: Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Sound Studios.
• 16:34
  Jonathan: Reach out to us on Instagram or email us at DorktalesStorytime at gmail.com.
• 16:40
  Jonathan: Find links in the show notes or go to Dorktalesstorytime.com.
• 16:45
  Jonathan: Now, go be the hero of your own story, and we'll see you next, once upon a time.
• 16:51
  Theme Song: So gather your squad for all to see. It's a universe that we've imagined. There's twists and turns and lessons learned. This is where the unexpected happens. Join our humble hosts and hit the trail of the wonderful, wacky, wild world of Dorktales.