2023 Ohio Bat Festival
3 - 7 pm, Oct 29, 2023
Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center
We are excited to invite you to the 2nd annual Ohio Bat Festival!
As a part of International Bat Week, on October 29, 2023 we will come together to celebrate our bat neighbors. Learn about the astounding diversity of the >1,400 bat species with which we share the Earth, dispel popular misconceptions about bats, and explore the ways that bats and humans can help each other!
The Ohio Bat Fest is a FREE event for all ages. We'll have multimedia presentations, a kids activity room, and interesting exhibits highlighting the ecology, diversity, and conservation of bats in Ohio and worldwide. We look forward to seeing you there!
Sponsors:
Carter Lab at The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University Ecology and Evolution Club
Photos courtesy of MerlinTuttle.org
National Science Foundation
Photo by Teagan McMahon
Multimedia presentations by invited bat biologists:
3:15 - Welcome, introduction, and overview
3:30 - Global conservation of bats
3:45 - Q & A and panel discussion: bat diversity and conservation
4:30 - What is it like to be a bat?
4:40 - The real story of the vampire bat!
4:50 - The social lives of bats
5:00 - Q & A and panel discussion: bat behavior
5:45 - Meet Ohio's bats
6:00 - How to help Ohio's bats
6:15 - Q & A and panel discussion: Ohio bats
Speakers:
Dr. Gerry Carter, Behavioral Ecologist, The Ohio State University
Dr. Joe Johnson, Conservation Biologist, University of Cincinnati
Dr. May Dixon, Sensory Ecologist, The Ohio State University
Marne Titchenell, Extension Wildlife Program Director, The Ohio State University and co-director of Ohio Bat Working Group
Family friendly activities:
Color your own bat
Learn to fold bat origami
Compare your hand to a bat's
Experience a night in the life of a bat biologist
And more!
Photo by Imran Razik
Photo by Gregg Cohen
Interesting exhibits highlighting the ecology, diversity, and conservation of bats:
Learn how to build a bat box
See specimens from the OSU museum collection
Meet a live bat!
Enjoy bat artwork
And more, including tables from:
Ohio Division of Wildlife
Bat Conservation International
Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitation Association
Ohio Woodland Stewards
Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks
OSU Evolution and Ecology Club