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The workshop will provide an opportunity for the public to watch an amazing sight as thousands of Mexican free-tail bats exit their roost for the evening at Phoenix’s largest bat colony, near the Biltmore area. The programs begin with a talk by bat biologists and an opportunity to see live bats up close. Participants will then watch the mass exodus using special night vision and ultrasonic sound equipment to hear the bat’s inaudible echolocation sounds.
“Bats are plagued by a lot of inaccurate myths,” says Angela McIntire, Arizona Game and Fish Department bat management coordinator. “But, they do so many good things like helping protect agricultural crops and our backyards from being overrun by pesky insects. And, few Valley residents know that they have a great wildlife viewing opportunity so close to home.”
Arizona is home to 28 bat species, including two species that are nectar-feeders and pollinate plants like the saguaro and agaves. Mexican free-tailed bats are found throughout Arizona in the summer and most migrate south in the winter. It has a wingspan of 11 to 13 inches, and it roosts in caves, tunnels, and crevices in tunnels, bridges and buildings. Bats are most frequently observed between April and October, but many species are active year-round in the state. They are the only mammal that can truly fly and, contrary to popular myth, bats are not blind.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet some of the Valley’s more secretive residents. The events are family-friendly and free to the public. Educators are also encouraged to attend and receive continuing education credit.
The Maricopa County Flood Control District partners with the department to host the workshops.
The bat workshop series is supported by the Heritage Fund. Started in 1990, the Heritage Fund was established by Arizona voters to further conservation efforts in the state. The Arizona Game and Fish Department uses Heritage Fund dollars to manage more than 800 native wildlife species, including threatened and endangered species; to help urban residents coexist with wildlife; to educate children and the public about the environment and wildlife conservation; and, to create new opportunities for outdoor recreation like wildlife viewing.
The Heritage Fund provides critical funding to the department and benefits communities statewide.
Those attending a workshop should park at the commercial building located at 2400 E. Arizona Biltmore Circle. The building is on the northeast corner of 24th Street and Arizona Biltmore Circle, just south of Lincoln Dr. The workshop will be held on the southwest corner of that intersection at the Maricopa County Flood Control District Tunnel, next to the Squaw Peak Police Precinct. It will be marked with signage. The public is encouraged to arrive on time: The bats leave at sunset and won’t wait!
For more information about bats in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov.