Forests are an integral part of many wildlife habitats where they find shelter and food. The forest also plays an important role for bats – unique creatures, the only ones among mammals that can fly. In total, 23 species of bats are found in the Ukrainian Carpathians. All of them are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine or other protection lists. And it’s not by accident! These creatures are increasingly becoming more vulnerable to the challenges of modern civilization.
Bats in the Carpathians eat mostly insects. They save our fields and forests destroying pests. So bats are our friends! We, as human beings, should treat them in a friendly way. And such meetings often occur, in particular in the attics of houses or church towers, where bats live.
Employees of the Synevyr National Park told schoolchildren of Synevyrska Polyana village in the Khust district of Zakarpattia about the special world of these amazing creatures. During the environmental education event, the children gladly shared their experience of meeting bats, as well as received advice on how not to harm these fragile mammals.
The main goal of the ecological and educational event is to draw young people’s attention to the issues of forest conservation and their inhabitants, in particular bats, to expand knowledge about these creatures and their role, to involve them in a deeper understanding of life and problems of the natural world. Such outdoor activities are great to form environmentally conscious thinking of young people.
All participants of the event received a coloring book as a gift, as well as a badge with the image of a bat as a reminder of the important mission of each person: be responsible for the creation.
The event was part of the project “Churches and NGOs together for environmental education in national parks”, implemented by the Institute for Environmental and Religious Studies and NP “Synevyr” in cooperation with the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International) and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Germany (Auswärtiges Amt, AA_Kultur).
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