Did you know that today marks the beginning of Bat Week? Bat Week is an annual, international celebration of the role of bats in nature, organized by a team of representatives from across the United States and Canada form conservation organizations and government departments.

Last Thursday, October 19, bat enthusiast Angela Gordon helped prepare us for Bat Week with her "Batty for Bats" talk and Wildlands Trust. Attendees received a thorough overview of bat adaptations and behaviors, bats species of Massachusetts, the importance of bats to humans, and threats to bat populations around the world.

*Angela Gordon presents "Batty for Bats" at Wildlands Trust. Bats are the only flying mammal! Other "flying mammals" like the flying squirrel simply glide and cannot propel themselves.*

White nose syndrome, habitat loss, and other factors have contributed to the decline of bat populations world-wide. These mammals provide vital ecological services to humans by eating disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and pollinating crops that we depend on.

During Bat Week you can get involved in your local community to help raise awareness about the importance of bats and threats to their survival! Find out the many ways that all ages can get involved at batweek.org. You can also make some tasty treats with bat-dependent ingredients in this Bat Cook Book!