This week we want to know all about ... Bat walking

[Wayne Harrison]

Sunday August 20, 2006
The Observer

Smacks, tocks, ticks, chipchops and warbles are some of the sounds you could pick up with your bat detector if you join in the latest craze among nature watchers: bat walking. Those living near a pond that draws lots of insects may have heard the late-night whispers of bat walkers as they listen for the voracious creatures; they can eat 1,000 mosquitoes an hour. Groups meet across the country, led by guides who have taken courses in detecting the mammals run by the Bat Conservation Trust.
With the global bat population in decline, conservationists are keen to encourage people to go out and and see the animals in their natural habitat. Next Saturday (26 August) marks the 10th European Bat Night, when various experts will be giving talks in several countries, including Britain, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium, and handing out information on the 45 different species of bat that live in Europe.

So what is so great about bats? They are the only flying mammal, their high-frequency echo location system makes them awesome hunters, and they are able to form pictures in their brains by listening to reflected sounds. Bats often get a bad press, long associated with blood-sucking vampires and death, but according to the Eurobat organisation, they are worth learning more about. And, despite the old wives' tale, they won't get tangled up in your hair.

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