Alabama Bat Working Group

CAMP MCDOWELL - Last week, the bats of the Bankhead National Forest had their moment in the sun—or rather, the moonlight.

Nearly a hundred bat experts and others from at least ten states, plus Norway, converged at Camp McDowell for the 2022 Bat Blitz, an intensive survey of the bat population. Bat Blitzes are organized every year by the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network (SBDN) and a state group, in this case, the Alabama Bat Working Group (ABWG).

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.