Bats – Fact and Fiction

Published by webmaster for Leicestershire County Council in Communities

What do you really know about bats?  Is it fact or fiction?  A brilliant bat display on show at Oadby Library from 2nd August to 17th September will provide the answers.

Leicestershire County Council’s Community Heritage supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Rutland County Council has created a display to promote awareness of the much-maligned bat, and the work of the Leicestershire and Rutland Bat Group.  It is part of a wider project on bats, which has included training for people to get involved in bat recording funded by the Better Communities and the Ken Chamberlain awards.

The display explores the facts and fiction of bats.  For example bats flying into peoples’ hair.  This is not true, as they have developed one of the best types of radar systems known as echolation.  

Leicestershire and Rutland Bat Group can provide advice to anyone with a bat query.  They also run activities such as bat walks, which offer a great opportunity to watch bats as they swoop and dive for insects.

Due to its success, the display has been touring venues around the county for over a year.   Its final stop is at Oadby library so this is the last opportunity to find out more about bats and perhaps dispel a few myths!

To find out more about the display, or recording wildlife, contact the Community Heritage Initiative, Holly Hayes Environment and Heritage Resources Centre, 216 Birstall Road, Leicestershire LE4 4DG, telephone 0116 267 1377, e-mail chi@leics.gov.uk or visit www.leics.gov.uk/celebrating_wildlife

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Press release issued: August 6 2007