Happy Bat Week: Find ways to fête the fantastic flying mammals

BAT WEEK? It flap-flap-flaps into our October-hued worlds just days ahead of Halloween, which really makes a lot of sense. After all, the flying mammals have a way of soaring back into our pop culture pretty dramatically each fall, even though they exist throughout the calendar. But putting aside the cute bat-strewn banners and the fright films that often feature bats in flutter-by cameos, the end of October is all about celebrating how fascinating these airy animals are, as well as all that these wing-rocking critters bring to the various ecosystems they call home. The National Park Service shared an admiring ode to bats on social media as the 2024 observance began — "more than 45 unique species of bats can be found in the national parks!" shared the social team — while the U.S. Department of the Interior memorably dubbed them "the heroes of the night" in a social message from 2023.

CALLING CALIFORNIA "BAT CENTRAL"? You wouldn't be exaggerating if you suggested that bunches of bat-a-tude are the Californian way: In short, the bat scene is bountiful in the Golden State. The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area near Davis is graced by Mexican Freetail Bats, while Yosemite National Park is home to well over a dozen bat species. "Of the 25 bat species that live in California, 17 are found in Yosemite," the Yosemite Conservancy revealed. The nature-championing group also has suggestions on how we can help these amazing animals, critters that do so much the environments they inhabit, from pollination to "keeping insect populations in check." Discover "Why Bats Matter" at the Bat Week site now, a destination packed with cool colony facts and tidbats — er, tidbits — as well as ways bat buffs can "Take Action" now.