Mysterious bats: discover their secrets at the castle pond!

Mysterious bats: discover their secrets at the castle pond!

All sorts of interesting facts about nightingales: On Friday, September 5th, the city of Chemnitz invites you to an exciting excursion into the mysterious nightlife of bats. It starts at 7.30 p.m. on the footpath near the “Milchhäuschen” café, Schloßteichstraße 20. Participation in this special event is free of charge and promises an exciting evening for families and nature lovers.

The two-hour tour is led by experienced experts, including Julia Vogel from the Chemnitz Environmental Agency, Holger Tippmann, a volunteer bat expert, and the dedicated team of the Young Nature Watchers Chemnitz (BUND). During the tour, participants gain exciting insights into the lifestyle and peculiarities of bats. A highlight will certainly be the opportunity to watch hunting bats at dusk - an experience you won't soon forget.

Bats under the microscope

Bats are fascinating creatures! As the only mammals to have learned active flight, they have existed for over 50 million years. There are 25 different species flying in Germany, and there are over 1,400 species worldwide, most of which occur in tropical regions. Unfortunately, many of these species are critically endangered in Germany, and their populations have declined dramatically since the 1950s. The main causes are the loss of their natural habitats, intensive agriculture and forestry, and widespread prejudice against these animals, which many people have often never seen up close. Bats also rely on insects as their main source of food and need up to 10 grams per night.

With a trained ear, excursion participants can even hear the bats' ultrasonic calls using a detector. These calls, which are emitted up to 100 times per second, enable the animals to orientate themselves in the dark and find their prey. In addition to their impressive hunting technology, bats are also social creatures that live in groups and communicate by chirping and shouting. They typically give birth to one or two young once a year and can live a staggering 20 to 30 years.

A call for protection

The organizers of the Bat Night point out that it is important to break down prejudices and promote understanding of these animals. Their living conditions are increasingly at risk: loss of roosts due to disturbances and the loss of both summer and winter quarters have severely restricted their place in nature. In addition, road traffic often leads to accidents, the exact number of which is often not recorded.

In Germany, protective measures have already been initiated to secure the bats' remaining roosts and to contribute to the protection of these valuable animals by installing bat boxes and maintaining landscape structures.

Bat Night therefore promises to be not only an entertaining but also an educational experience for all participants. Don't miss the opportunity to experience a piece of nature up close and learn more about the mysterious creatures of the night!

Those interested can get further information on the city of Chemnitz website: chemnitz.de, as well as on the Bat Protection Augsburg website: batermausschutz-augsburg.de and at NABU: nabu.de