07-09-2018

Night of the Bats at the Regional Cemetery Parc de Roques Blanques

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September 7, 2018.— On Friday, September 14th, the Regional Cemetery Parc de Roques Blanques, located in the municipality of Papiol, will host a new edition of the Bat Night in the Collserola Natural Park. This is a scientific outreach initiative promoted at the Catalan level by the Granollers Museum of Science and takes place throughout the summer in various municipalities across Catalonia.

The event will feature a lecture by specialists from the Museum on the peculiarities of this group of mammals, their importance as natural indicators of ecosystem quality, and the methodologies used to study them. This will be followed by a discovery tour of the grounds, an area nestled within the forest of the Collserola Natural Park.

It will be a great opportunity to learn more about the significance of these flying mammals, which are largely unknown to most people due to their nocturnal habits and the difficulty in detecting them.

The activity is free and aimed at individuals aged 12 and over. To participate, prior registration is required by calling the Park Information Center at 93.280.35.52.

This event has been held annually in the Collserola Natural Park since 2009. This year, as a new feature, it has been scheduled at a unique location—a cemetery. Due to its characteristics, Roques Blanques is an ideal site for this activity. Since its opening in 1984, the cemetery has been noted for its strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection through various pioneering ecological burial initiatives in Spain—such as the Forest of Calm, the Forest Path, and Family Trees—and for promoting native flora and fauna in its more than 50 hectares within the natural park. Owned by the public—specifically, the Baix Llobregat County Council—and managed by Àltima, it was the first Spanish cemetery to obtain the European environmental certification EMAS.

The Granollers Museum launched the first Catalan Bat Night in 2004. Year after year, networking with various entities, natural parks, municipalities, and others has led to an increase in the number of activities and participants each edition. This year, 31 sessions are scheduled throughout the territory.

The Catalan Bat Night is part of a much broader initiative, the International Bat Night, a celebration held since 1997 in over thirty countries around the world during the summer season.