Experience bats and owls up close: Long nature watch night in Barnim!

Experience bats and owls up close: Long nature watch night in Barnim!

A real nature experience awaits visitors to the Barnim Nature Park this weekend. On August 15th and 16th, the Long Nature Watch Night invites you to explore the mysterious world of nocturnal animals, especially foxes and bats. Rangers rely on the latest technology - nets, detectors and light are used to observe the animal actors in their nighttime habitat.

In the last event, which took place last Saturday, there were over 20 participants on site. The nature park train station in Melchow is the central meeting point for anyone interested in nature. At sunset, the participants had the opportunity to experience the nimble noctules up close. A special highlight was the acoustic spectacle of the water bats, which made the hike through the nature park an unforgettable experience.

Commitment to nature and species protection

The Naturwacht Brandenburg rangers have been active since 1991 and monitor an impressive area of ​​around 9,000 square kilometers, which corresponds to around a third of the entire state of Brandenburg. With a variety of over 420 guided tours, they reach around 7,500 participants every year and not only offer exciting insights into the animal and plant populations, but also information about the region.

The nature conservation movement in Germany has a long history, dating back to the 19th century. At that time, the threat to animal and plant diversity became increasingly public. This development resulted, among other things, in the establishment of the first protected areas, such as the Lüneburg Heath National Park. The Naturwacht Brandenburg is also a legacy of this movement, which is committed to protecting nature and promoting biodiversity. It was launched under the Stiftung NaturSchutzFonds Brandenburg and thus enables professional management of the protected areas.

Bats in focus

Another exciting aspect is the digital bat atlas, which serves as a central project for collecting and evaluating long-term data. The BATLAS - digital bat atlas aims to estimate nationwide population trends of bats in order to determine the endangered status of these protected species. Species protection measures are only possible with reliable data and will be advanced by the project until the end of 2023.

It is important to mention that all bat species are specially protected in Germany. Factors such as habitat destruction and a decline in insects contribute to their endangerment. The Bat Atlas aims to address these challenges in a targeted manner and also contributes to raising public awareness of the need to protect these fascinating animals.

Next weekend there will be another exciting time in the Barnim Nature Park. Anyone interested in our local wildlife should not miss this event!