The Art Box - Episode 310 - Exploring the Night Wings: A Conversation with NDOW Biologist Matt Flores

I’ve had the pleasure of volunteering alongside Matt Flores many times, and he never fails to inspire me with both his deep knowledge of Nevada’s wildlife and his generous spirit in sharing it. In this episode, Lois Etzel joins as co-host as we sit down for a fascinating conversation with Matt under the desert sky at Mount Irish, in the heart of the Basin and Range National Monument.

In this special field episode of The Art Box podcast, we take you deep into the wild heart of Nevada’s Basin and Range National Monument during its 10th anniversary BioBlitz. Our guest, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) biologist Matt Flores, shares his expertise and passion for Nevada’s bat species and small mammals, and takes us behind the scenes of this year’s BioBlitz survey team.

Recorded under desert skies near Mount Irish, this conversation dives into:

• The importance of BioBlitz events for citizen science and wildlife monitoring
• How bats contribute to the ecosystem, from pollination to insect control
• The art and science of live-trapping and monitoring bats
• Why Basin & Range NM is a vital refuge for diverse species
• Personal stories from the field: night surveys, climate change challenges, and building community among scientists and volunteers

Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or simply curious about the unseen life that fills Nevada’s public lands, you’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance of this stunning landscape, and the dedicated biologists who work to understand and protect it.

Listen in and fly with us through the desert night.

Learn more: https://www.ndow.org/

https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/basin-and-range-national-monument