Why bats are a protected species and what makes them so valuable to us – this is what fourth-graders from the Panayot Volov Secondary School in Shumen learned in a special lesson prepared by the forest rangers of the Shumen Plateau Nature Reserve and the Northeastern State Enterprise. The lesson is dedicated to
International Bat Day – October 4th and is traditionally held in the Park.
Forest educators presented flying mammals, their way of life, the benefits for humans in pest control, as well as their role in maintaining the balance in nature. The children learned what the threats to the survival of bats are and why people consider them dangerous. Ways to protect these protected species and what everyone can do to preserve them were presented.
The most exciting thing for the kids was the real encounter with bats in their natural habitat – the “Biserna” cave. After a walk to the cave, the fourth graders saw different types of bats and learned more about their life cycle, which is also reflected in the visit to “Biserna”. 14 species out of a total of 20 species discovered and described on the territory of the Nature Park are found there.
Bulgaria has joined the Agreement for the Conservation of Populations of European Bat Species (EUROBATS) and annually holds events in support of the conservation of the unique mammals.