The world’s only flying mammals are going to rise from the darkness at UF today.
The Florida Museum of Natural History will host the “Year of the Bat Celebration” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The free event is open to everyone.
Catherine Carey, public programs coordinator for the museum, said visitors will see displays by the natural history museum, the Lubee Bat Conservancy and the Tampa Bay Bats.
This is the first “Year of the Bat Celebration” at UF.
The event was created in conjunction with the Year of the Bat, a two-year global campaign to raise awareness about the importance of bats.
About 40 percent of bat species in the United States are on the edge of extinction, Carey said.
“We want to do anything we can to bring awareness,” she said.
Amanda Harvey, education assistant at the museum, said there will be different activities for visitors, including games. Tampa Bay Bats will bring four different species of bats for visitors to interact with from a few feet away.
Despite their negative image, bats help pollinate and control insect populations, she said.
“We wouldn’t have tequila, coffee or macadamia nuts without them,” Harvey added.
