Hughes et al .: Rediscovery of the New Guinea Big-eared Bat 
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Figure 2. Capture site of Pharotis imogene in recently logged rainforest, showing harp trap (photo: Julie Broken-Brow). 
Materials and methods 
Field work was conducted in the Cloudy Bay Forestry 
Management Area, a sustainable rainforest logging concession 
area of some 149,000 ha north-east of Abau, Central Province, 
Papua New Guinea. Bats were captured in the vicinity of three 
villages: Bonoabo (10°05’56.1 M S 148°44'53.7"E) c. 14 km 
east of Bam (10°06'11.4 ,, S 148°52 , 11.7 M E) and Oio Village 
(10°06'47.5"S 148°52'22.4"E), c. 2 km south of Bam. One 
harp trap and two mist nets were used to capture bats. The 
harp trap was a standard size, double bank “Austbat” harp 
trap (Faunatech, Bairnsdale, Victoria). Mist nets were 38 
mm mesh, 12x2.6 m black denier nylon nets (Australian Bird 
Study Association: Mistnet service, Victoria). Mist nets were 
arranged one above the other on wooden poles, up to 4 meters 
above the ground. Mist nets were monitored continuously for 
3 to 4 hours after sunset. Captured bats were weighed using 
a Pesola ® spring balance and measured with digital vernier 
calipers and released during the night to record echolocation 
calls. The sex and age of individuals was determined and 
species identifications were determined in the field using 
Flannery (1995) and Bonaccorso (1998). Site co-ordinates 
