The traditional, sixth release of bats took place in Feldman Ecopark last Sunday. This time about 1,000 bats flew up into the evening sky of the Social and Humanitarian Multi-Complex. All of them were rescued by animal protection activists from different corners of Ukraine last winter and underwent rehabilitation in the only specialized Center for these Red Book animals in our country. Hundreds of Kharkiv citizens as well as chiropterologists from Australia, Brazil, Germany, Poland and Switzerland who arrived to the international panel Kharkiv Bat Meeting became guests and participants of the event.
“Solemn release of bats to nature gathered together citizens with their families. It is an example of successful eco-educational work — that’s what we can teach others. Our foreign colleagues mentioned this fact today — the head of the Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark Anton Vlashchenko told. – Our Center takes great pain to develop this direction in parallel with scientific activity. For example, today we presented to the experts and public the new enclosure with bats (Bat Collider). It’s a really unique object intended for the scientific and educational purposes as well”.
According to Anton Vlashchenko, the new open-air enclosure is located in a forest zone, in some removal from the main tour routes. It has ring-shaped form (that’s why it is called Bat Collider) that allows bats to fly with a usual speed, without bumping obstacles.
“Such constructive decision has no analogs in Europe where open-air enclosures are exclusively domed and squared. It will allow us to conduct a number of important researches on bat behavior, connected with their hunting for insects and echolocation — Anton Vlashchenko noted. — Besides, visitors to a Multi-Complex will have an opportunity to observe behavior of these surprising animals almost in natural conditions. We’re already working up a plan of summer evening tours with lectures and demonstrations for inquisitive persons”.
Besides, it is planned that the laboratory and a shelter for those bats that cannot be returned to the natural habitat because of injuries or for other reasons will work on the basis of Bat Collider. Special mini-caves will be constructed for other bats in the territory of Feldman Ecopark. The first samples made of cement were shown during the event held on Sunday.
It should be reminded that the Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark is a unique animal protection organization not only for Ukraine, but also for entire Eastern Europe. Since its establishment, it rescued more than 12,000 bats, all species of which are in Ukrainian Red Book.