Brussels is home to around 20 species of bats and for the last weekend of August, will invite the public to discover the animal as part of an international event in honour of the winged creatures.
Since 1997, the International Bat Night has been celebrated at this time in more than 30 countries across the world. Activities such as walks, exhibitions are presentations are organised by nature conservation agencies and NGOs to better inform the public about bats, how they live and what their needs are.
Specialists from Brussels Environment and Natagora will this year organise three events on 25 and 26 August as part of the European Bat Night with the aim of "challenging certain preconceived ideas, informing the general public and providing keys to protecting bats and welcoming them into our buildings." Both organisations warned that it is a fragile population that must be preserved.
The common big-eared bat (Plecotus auritus). Credit: Natuurpunt/ Rollin Verlinde
Belgium is home to some 24 different species of bats, from the little pipistrelle that fits in a matchbox to the greater mouse-eared bat with its 45-centimetre wingspan.
But their numbers have plummeted since the 1950s and remain particularly low across Europe today as their natural habitats are damaged by human activity. Serge Tiquet, coordinator of the European Bat Night for Natagora, highlights "the use of pesticides and insecticides and, more recently, light pollution" as posing major threats.
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Guided tours with bat experts will be organised in Anderlecht and Neder-over-Heembeek, while in Auderghem a "Bat Festival" will be hosted with various information stands, guided tours and animations. These events are designed to teach people about these animals and how to protect them.
This summer, volunteers will focus on the crucial question of how to welcome these little creatures under our roofs. Bats are too often perceived as undesirable but in fact are excellent for preventing infestations of flies, mosquitoes and other insects. Different types of shelter can easily be incorporated into the structure of a building.
Tweet translation: "They intrigue and are at the heart of fantastic tales: bats will be in the spotlight in Brussels at the end of August. Get to know these formidable allies of biodiversity and take part in the European Bat Night."
Brussels Environment pointed to simple acts that can protect bats in the long term, notably by banning the use of pesticides and insecticides, avoiding lighting gardens at night, protecting existing natural roosts or installing artificial ones.
A large-scale event will also take place in Fort Oelegem in the province of Antwerp, which is one of the most important bat hibernation sites in Flanders. Here, people can discover the monumental hibernation site and observe the nightly insect hunt of the bats above the fort moat with the help of bat detectors.
Find all the French-speaking bat-related events taking place here, and those taking place in Flanders here.
