The only presentation of the only enclosure for Cheiropterans in Ukraine and participation in the international campaign “Bat week” is planned.
October in Feldman Eсopark will be devoted to Cheiropterans in order to draw more public attention to a problem of protection and rehabilitation of these Red Book animals. Holding lectures for pupils, the information company in social networks, scientific and educational events are planned. According to the head of the Centre of Cheiroptera Rehabilitation of Feldman Ecopark, Candidate of Biology Anton Vlashchenko, the presentation of enclosure for Cheiropterans and participation in the international campaign “Bat week” will become the main events.
“The week of bats — Bat week — has been taking place in the USA and Canada for five years. Annually millions of people participate in it directly and by means of social networks. Our Centre accepted the invitation to participate in this campaign as official partners from Ukraine. Thus, we will present our country in this large-scale nature protection event for the first time — Anton Vlashchenko told. — From October 24 to October 31, we will conduct information campaign on our resources, we will prepare and we will spread distributing materials for children of adults. Besides, we plan to visit several schools with small interactive lessons and to organize a youth event on the popular media platform. We want to finish month of Cheiropterans with the presentation of enclosure for Cheiropterans in the last October weekend in the territory of the Social and Humanitarian Multi-Complex”.
It should be noted that the enclosure for Cheiropterans will become the first in the territory of Ukraine and one of the few in Eastern Europe. The uniqueness of it is that unlike the majority of world analogs, it is constructed in the form of a ring, but not the square room. Such form gives to Cheiropterans an opportunity of unlimited flight.
“The bat enclosure or as we’ve called it – a Bat-Collider – for a form of a design, will become the research object, not just a new exposition for visitors to Feldman Ecopark. We will be able to keep these animals in the conditions close to natural, to make observations of their behavior by means of modern methods and devices, and, of course, we will be engaged in rehabilitation. Cheiropterans, who because of injuries, age or for other reasons can’t be returned to the nature, will find house here. In the same place, there will be our “kindergarten” for Cheiroptera kids, which were born right after the wintering in our Centre, or rescued by the volunteers. In this enclosure they will learn to fly and hunt insects” — the Rehabilitation Centre’s deputy head, Olena Prylutska explained.
It is important to emphasize that the creation of enclosure for Cheiropterans, along with opening of the biggest enclosure for anthropoids, modern enclosures for tortoises, porcupines, raccoons and other animals is a new stage of infrastructure development of Feldman Ecopark that is implemented together with the World Open Foundation for Animal Rehabilitation and Reintroduction (WOFARR). These projects are united not only by expository attractiveness, but also by the animal rehabilitation component.
It should be reminded that the Centre for Cheiroptera Rehabilitation in Feldman Ecopark is an animal protection organization, which is unique not only in Ukraine, but also across Eastern Europe. During five years of its activities, it rescued nearly 10,000 bats. It should be noted that all of the bat species in Ukraine are in the Red Book. The rescued and rehabilitated animals are returned to the nature. This year, the record number of bats – 2,500 animals – was released in the territory of Feldman Ecopark.
