Have you ever seen a bat up close? Are you curious to learn more about these nocturnal, flying mammals? Wenatchee River Institute is teaming up with Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) for a night of bat education. You'll have the chance to see these creatures up close! WDFW biologists will be using mist-nets to catch bats, a technique that's often used by bat researchers during field work. They will be collecting data on any captured bats before releasing them. In addition to the mist-net stations, there will be other bat educational resources and activities thanks to Bats Northwest. As an added bonus we'll have moth expert Peter Smytheman there with some moth and insect traps to help us observe these amazing night-flying insects!

Location:
We will be along Nason Creek off of State Route 207 (Lake Wenatchee Highway), approximately 20 minutes north of Leavenworth near Cole's Corner. You will receive detailed directions after registration. We will meet out at the site. Minimal walking is required, although the bat stations will be situated off the pavement over some uneven terrain. Please be aware there are no bathrooms onsite.

Safety:
The safety of participants and the animals is our priority, so participants will be required to wear KN95 masks (provided) within 6 feet of a bat. All participants in the proximity of a bat must also follow clothing protocols to protect the animals from white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease that is not contractable by humans but is destructive to bat populations across species. This protocol includes full clothing disinfecting, which means everyone will either wear a disposable Tyvex coverall suit (provided), or wear a second layer of clothing that goes straight in the wash when you get home. Stay tuned for more details on safety protocol. Our trained bat experts will be the only ones allowed to handle bats. Please bring a headlamp or flashlight for your own safety if you have one.

Age Limit: 8+ years old
Ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Registration for this event is required, but cost is Pay What You Can. Please choose an amount that fits within your budget to attend this event, even if that is $0. We want anyone who is interested to be able to attend!

This program is full.