Halloween: Bats at Belvedere

Step into the mysterious world of bats and explore their benefits, habitats, and nocturnal strategies in this live animal encounter program with conservation biologist Rob Mies. Debunk the myths you’ve heard about bats with the Central Park Conservancy and Rob Mies, conservation biologist, bat expert, Director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, author and TV personality.

We’ll explore the mysterious lives of bats to learn about their benefits, why we need to conserve them, and what we can do to help these unique mammals.

You will encounter a Big Brown bat from North America, meet fruit bats from Africa and Asia, and come face-to-face with the largest bat in the world – the Gigantic Flying Fox Bat from Malaysia, which has nearly a 6-foot wingspan! After the lecture, view Central Park’s own wild bats as we take a nature walk to learn why the Park has become a haven for urban bats and look and listen for them with a “bat detector” device.

Alternate Venue Information: If it’s below 60 degrees Fahrenheit or raining, the program will be relocated to the North Meadow Recreation Center in order to provide a safe habitat for the visiting bats.

North Meadow Recreation Center is located mid-Park at 97th Street.

For day-of weather-related venue changes, call theBelvedere Castle Visitor Center at 212-772-0210.

Free. No advance registration. Recommended for ages 4+.

More info here.

Photo credit: Rob Mies at Bats Alive! in Central Park 2010, photo Roberta W.