Free Bat Blitz educational event for the public

The Alabama Bat Working Group’s Education Committee will hold a Bat Blitz educational event for the public on Monday, August 1, 3-6 p.m., at Randall Commons in Camp McDowell. Attendees will learn more about bats and their importance to the ecosystem, have the chance to see live bats up close and be able to participate in hands-on activities. Children are especially encouraged to attend. There is no entrance fee and no need to register in advance. The public is invited to drop in at any time during the event.

Activities, including crafts, and information booths will be available throughout the event. The live bats will be shown at the Batty about Bats presentation from 3:30-4:15 p.m, and there will be a presentation on the importance of bats from 5:15-6:00 p.m.

The event is being held in conjunction with a Southeastern Bat Diversity Network (SBDN) Bat Blitz in the Bankhead National Forest from August 1-5. During the blitz, with the help of around 100 bat biologists, wildlife professionals and experienced volunteers, SBDN will conduct an intensive survey of bats in various areas of the Bankhead on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. This year’s survey will replicate that of a 2008 blitz conducted in the Bankhead and thus will allow scientists to compare results to determine the effects White Nose Syndrome, first discovered in the Bankhead in 2014, has had on bat populations in the area.