By Jones of Bexar                                     H.R. No. 1008
         77R15054 WMS-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor
 1-2     Dr. Merlin D. Tuttle of Austin, who is one of the world's greatest
 1-3     authorities on bats and a leader in bat conservation; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Formerly the curator of mammals at the Milwaukee
 1-5     Public Museum and a visiting scholar in the zoology department of
 1-6     The University of Texas at Austin, he is the founder and executive
 1-7     director of Bat Conservation International, Inc., an organization
 1-8     that balances both human and wildlife needs and has vastly improved
 1-9     public perception of bats; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Dr. Tuttle is also a member of the Endangered
1-11     Species Recovery Team for Indiana Bats and Gray Bats for the U.S.
1-12     Fish and Wildlife Service and is an honorary consultant for the
1-13     Chiroptera Specialist Group; and
1-14           WHEREAS, In addition, he is an accomplished wildlife
1-15     photographer, and his work has appeared in the National Geographic
1-16     Society's centennial book, 100 Years of Adventure and Discovery,
1-17     accompanied four articles in the National Geographic magazine, and
1-18     been showcased in many other books and periodicals; and
1-19           WHEREAS, Dr. Tuttle has degrees from Andrews University and
1-20     the University of Kansas, and his prolific knowledge of bats and
1-21     wildlife is represented in numerous research publications; he has
1-22     also presented more than 150 lectures and seminars and appeared on
1-23     such television programs as The Today Show, Good Morning America,
1-24     Dateline, and World News Tonight; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, Among the many awards he has been accorded are the
 2-2     Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., Award, the highest international honor
 2-3     conferred by colleagues in the field of bat biology, the National
 2-4     Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Chuck Yeager Award, the
 2-5     Chevron/Times-Mirror Conservation Award, and grand prize in
 2-6     Mexico's First Annual Nature Photography Contest; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, Throughout the course of his illustrious career,
 2-8     this renowned expert has broadened man's knowledge and appreciation
 2-9     of bats, and it is indeed appropriate that he receive special
2-10     recognition at this time; now, therefore, be it
2-11           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-12     Legislature hereby commend Dr. Merlin D. Tuttle for his many
2-13     significant achievements in the study of bats and extend to him
2-14     sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
2-15           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-16     prepared for Dr. Tuttle as an expression of high regard by the
2-17     Texas House of Representatives.