Wisconsin Bat Festival to be Held at Warner Park Community Recreation Center
OutdoorHub 04.30.12
Meet live bats from around the world and visit with Wisconsin’s backyard bats. Come face to face with fruit bats from Africa and Asia, a Vampire Bat, and encounter the largest bat in the world, the gigantic Malayan Flying Fox which has nearly a 6-foot wingspan!
Rob Mies, T.V. personality and Director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, will present multiple times throughout the day.
Meet this year’s special guest is Brian Lies, author/illustrator of the children’s books Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library, and Bats at the Ballgame. Attend a reading, hear about the making of the books, or get an autograph from the author!
Participate in hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Become a bat biologist for a day, build your own bat house, and explore a cave.
WDNR Bat Ecologist David Redell and staff of the WI Bat Program will teach about local bats and bat conservation efforts. Discover the night-time secrets of bat biology, understand their conservation needs, and learn how you can participate in the Wisconsin Bat Program.
Have your name entered in the Door Prize drawing just for attending and purchase tickets for chances to win Grand Prizes — including mist-netting field trips with David Redell & the bat crew, a personalized live-bat program at a venue of your choice, bat houses, a spot on the sold-out Neda Mine fall swarm field trip, and beautiful bat pottery by Ephraim Pottery.
Cost is $10 for adults. Kids under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult. There’s so much to do and see, you’ll want to plan to be at the Festival for at least 2 hours to take it all in.
All event proceeds benefit the Wisconsin Bat Conservation Fund.
For directions and more information visit the Wisconsin Bat Program website at www.wiatri.net/inventory/bats/
