Due to the great response to the double proposal of “Bat night” and “Bat day” that begins today, the activities about bats have been expanded with new dates.
Today, Friday, a new cycle of activities organized by the BIOPARC Foundation in collaboration with Caixa Popular aimed at promoting knowledge and conservation of native fauna. With all the places covered, it has been decided to extend it with two more days, which demonstrates the growing interest in these initiatives “with a cause” of environmental dissemination which on this occasion focuses on the most emblematic species for Valencia and, at the same time, the most unknown, the bats.
Myths, legends or its nocturnal quality have led this animal to be feared and mistreated due to the supposed dangers to people. Nothing could be further from the truth, bats are true “superheroes” of the animal world. There are 24 different species of bats in the Valencian Community, 2 of them listed in danger of extinction. Their extraordinary and unique qualities make them essential in the balance of biodiversity and, at the same time, they are vital allies for the human species, among other things, for their role in controlling insect pests, especially mosquitoes, of which they can eat up to 700 in a single night.
Aimed at family audiences, they allow them to learn about the impressive characteristics of bats and aim to raise awareness about the vital importance of protecting this peculiar animal symbol of Valencia.
The programming is aimed at family audiences from 8 years old and has a double theme in which specialists will explain in an entertaining way the amazing characteristics and reveal the reality about the legends and myths that surround them: the "bat night" (from 20 p.m. to 22 p.m. on Fridays, May 31, June 14 and 21) include an exciting tour of the Cabecera park, where, with the help of ultrasonic detectors, participants will be able to try to see and hear the bats that come to feed at night.
In the "Bat day" (from 12 noon to 13.30:1 p.m. on Saturdays June 15, 22 and 16) shelter boxes for urban or fissure bats will be built to be taken by each participant who, up to XNUMX years of age, must be accompanied by an adult. This workshop will have the collaboration of the Spanish Association for the Conservation and Study of Bats (SECEMU).
Enjoyable talks, night location with special technology or the construction of shelter boxes to install at home are some of the activities.
The bat is the only mammal capable of flight and do it, furthermore, hundreds of kilometers. It already inhabited our planet at the time of the dinosaurs and is found on all continents except Antarctica, so it has a great variety, with More than 1.200 species, and sizes, from 1,5 grams of the smallest to 1,2 kilos of the largest of all. They are the mammals with the greatest variety in their diet, breast milk is their first food and 70% have a diet based on insects, although there are also frugivores, nectarivores and even carnivores. In this field it is necessary to demystify the false legend of “vampires”, since only three species feed on the blood of other animals.
In our Community there are 24 species of bats, 2 of them classified as endangered, and historically they have had great relevance in pest control, as they eat 700 mosquitoes in one night.
The classrooms in the BIOPARC Valencia entrance plaza will host the proposal. It is necessary to register on the BIOPARC website for each activity that has a symbolic cost of €5 for the general public and €3 for people holding the Annual Pass B! (Membership card) which will be allocated to the conservation of bats through the BIOPARC Foundation.
