Organised by the Rest-Chir’Eau project team in partnership with the Camargue Regional Nature Park, Bat Night was a sell-out event at Tour du Valat. More than thirty participants came together for an evening of listening, discovery and observation.
Discreet neighbours, bats are found throughout Europe. They occupy both natural habitats (caves, crevices and cracks in rocks, behind bark or in tree cavities) and human constructions. The International Bat Night, an annual initiative of the SFEPM, provides an opportunity to find out more about these fascinating animals, which are invaluable to the balance of our ecosystems.
At Tour du Valat, the evening began with two presentations on the theme of these flying mammals. After dispelling a few preconceived ideas (no, bats won’t get caught in your hair!), Lucie Schaeffer and Alexandre Crestey (Camargue Natural Park) presented the bat species present in the Camargue, as well as the monitoring methods used by chiropterologists. Pauline Rocarpin (Tour du Valat) then described the various stages of the Rest-Chir’Eau project, which studies bats in order to gain a better understanding of the functions of the wetlands they frequent.
After a picnic at dusk and a presentation of Tour du Valat estate by warden Marion Lourenço, the group set off to listen for the sound signatures of bats. Equipped with ultrasonic detectors capable of transforming bat sonar into sounds audible to human ears, curious people of all ages were able to listen and try to recognise the different species present on the site.
