First permanent exhibition on bats finally opened!

Which day would be more appropriate than Friday, the 13th, to break down prejudices about bats? The 23rd International Bat Night was enriched by the grand opening of the first permanent exhibition on bats in Slovenia. The exhibition is set in the former school in Kancevci. The exhibition features a comprehensive presentation of bats and their habitats with an exceptional display of the starry sky. In the attic of the former school is one of the two known nursery roosts of the lesser horseshoe bat in Goričko. Bats live here between April and October. To ensure the long-term conservation of this important roost, an conservation agreement was signed with the owner of the building, the Kančevci Parish, within the Gorička krajina project.


Expert guidance by Monika (photo: G. Domanjko)

The opening of the exhibition was accompanied by a lecture by senior doctor mag. Branislava Belović on the adverse health effects of the light pollution. Monika Podgorelec from Slovenian Association for Bat Research and Conservation provided an expert guidance throughout the exhibition. Other members of the association, including leading expert on bats in Slovenia Primož Presetnik, provided some additional explanation on bats echolocation and foraging for visitors in the vicinity of the building by using ultrasonic detectors. The bilingual (slovenian-english) exhibition is enriched with a live-stream camera of the bat roost. 



The opening of the exhibition was accompanied by more than 80 visitors from near and far. The opening was enriched with local delicacies from Goričko. Goričko Nature Park Public Institute would like to thank the Kančevci Parish, especially Father Jurij Štravs and Andrej Cifer and all others who contributed to the event in any way. The exhibition is on view in agreement with the Goričko Nature Park Public Institute or Kančevci Parish and on doors open days. You are welcome to visit it!