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Understanding Bats
Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: October - 2022
The October edition of the Village Nature Series, set for 5:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 25, at The Village Green, delves into the mysterious world of bats.
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and The Village Green sponsors each summer a series of lectures, with the last offering presented this month. The series focuses on area wildlife and their natural habitats: previous subjects have included raptors, black bears, and reptiles. But for October, The Village Nature Series, which begins at 5:00 P.M., October 25, is devoted to bats. In fact, Rada Petric, Ph.D., a research assistant professor and director of the UNC Institute for the Environment at the Highlands Field Site at Highlands Biological Station, will present Secret Lives of Bats. Dr. Petric’s presentation, just in time for Halloween, provides a peek into the lives of the fascinating nocturnal flying mammals and important information about how conserving the local bat populations is an essential factor in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Dr. Petric, became involved with bats as an undergraduate student at UNC Greensboro. She has been working in Highlands for the past two years. “I began to realize that there is just so much we didn’t and don’t know about bats,” said Dr. Petric. “They are so misunderstood … underdogs. But they are such crucial creatures for a healthy ecosystem. I try to promote all the positive things they contribute to humans and the rest of the world.” For the October 25 event, Dr. Petric will bring a taxidermy Big Brown and Red bat, two most common of the 13 local species, so that she can explain basics about bats and their ecosystem. “We have the most bats east of Texas, and Highlands and the surrounding area in North Carolina is a biodiversity hot spot for bats, so I will share about what threatens them and the concerns over their wellbeing that many people need to be aware of.” She added, “I will be focusing on the native species and what we can do to help them because they help us so much by eating over 1,100 mosquitoes per night per bat. I will also open up a conversation about bats and encourage questions.” Dr. Petric works with students at Highlands Biological Station, many from UNC Chapel Hill, who are involved in an immersive educational experience. Born in Bosnia, Dr. Petric said her visits to a grandmother who lived in the mountains instilled in her a love of nature and animals. Look for 2023’s The Village Nature Series to begin at 5:00 P.M. on the last Tuesday of the month from May through October at The Village Green Commons on Frank Allen Road.
