Blue Mountains Bats

Bat events are popping up all over the place in coming months as part of the Australasian Bat Night – designed to debunk the myths and fears associated with bats. These community events demonstrate how better conservation measures can not only help protect our native bats but also assist people to live alongside our nocturnal neighbours.

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah will join the bat-themed fun with Blue Mountains Bats – a family-friendly bat night on Saturday 8 April. The evening will feature short, entertaining talks by experts on the secret life of bats. Audiences will discover how bats fit into the Blue Mountains ecology. There will even be a special guest flying fox.

As darkness falls, community members can enjoy a rare twilight prowl of the Garden, using “bat detectors” to help find micro-bats. Micro-bats make sounds that bounce off their insect prey, helping them to hunt in the dark. Participants will have a chance to use the detectors to listen out for the tiny mammal’s echolocation calls.

One of the local bats that may be spotted is the Little Forest Bat (Vespadelus vulturnus), which roosts in loose bark or small tree hollows. They are so tiny that the entrances to their roosts are around 12mm wide – about the width of a finger-nail!

Blue Mountains Bats is the first in an annual schedule of science-focused community programs to be held at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, supported by Inspiring Australia. Other exciting events planned for the coming year will look at pollination, waratahs, stargazing and carnivorous plants.

Event details:
5.00 – 7.30pm, Saturday 8 April
Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah
Adults $25, Children $10, Families (2 adults, 2 children) $60
Bookings essential – places are limited.

www.blue-mountains-bats.eventbrite.com.au