Anton Vlashchenko and Kseniia Kravchenko, the workers of the Feldman Ecopark’s Centre of Cheiroptera Rehabilitation, visited the office of the EUROBATS (The Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats) in Bonn.
During the visit, the results of the Centre’s activity during the year were represented. Young scientists told about the opening of Kharkiv’s only support centre for bats’ feeding and wintering. It also served as a visit centre for scientific and educational activity. The biologists told about the fact that the system of animals’ collection across the city was improved with the participation of scientists and volunteers. The specialists of the Feldman Ecopark’s Centre of Cheiroptera Rehabilitation constantly research the settlement of bats near the water bodies of Kharkiv, as well as the seasonal activity of the animals. During the previous year, the Centre was the reporter of one Ukrainian and two international conferences. However, the main success of the Centre, according to the Ecoparks’ scientists, is the record number of saved bats – this year, they managed to cure and release over 500 animals. The same number was released in 2015.
Moreover, the partners discussed the new prospects of the cooperation and support of the Centre by the EUROBATS.
It should be noted that the EUROBATS Agreement is aimed at the conservation of populations of European bats, and is the part of the Bonn Convention (Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals). The EUROBATS Agreement was ratified by Ukraine in 1999.
It should be reminded that the EUROBATS Secretariat noted the high level of work of the Centre sending the special letter of support addressed to Oleksandr Feldman, Ukrainian MP and the founder of the Ecopark, as it is the ICF “Oleksandr Feldman Foundaition,” which is the main sponsor and the partner of the project. Within the framework of the EUROBATS Project Initiative, a small grants program, the Feldman Ecopark’s Centre of Cheiroptera Rehabilitation also was supported in 2013-2014, at the establishment stage.
