Please join us for an evening adventure to listen and look for bats as we walk along the river. We will learn about bats and monitor their echolocation calls using bioacoustics. After we will check out moths that are attracted to our UV light station. All ages are welcome. Sign up early as space is limited; our Nature Nights events fill up quickly. If there are no spaces remaining join the waitlist. You will be emailed if space opens up.
We will be joined by Rachel Harper, with Bat Conservation International—an organization dedicated to conserving the world's bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet.
If you'd like to learn about bats in San Diego before our bat walk, please check out this article with KPBS titled "Bat season has begun in San Diego," which features an interview with staff member Natalie Borchardt.
Please remember to bring a flashlight or headlamp and wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. We look forward to seeing you!
About our Presenters:
Rachel Harper works for Bat Conservation International, an organization dedicated to conserving the world's bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet. She joined Bat Conservation International in 2021, focusing on fostering the organization's digital presence and community to support global efforts to prevent bat extinctions. With a degree in Marketing and a career centered around using digital channels to support wildlife conservation, Rachel plays a vital role in promoting bat conservation initiatives.
Dan Taylor is a Senior Restoration Specialist with Bat Conservation International's Habitat Protection and Restoration (HP&R) Program and has more than 30 years of experience working on a wide range of wildlife and conservation issues in the U.S., Central America, and Africa. Dan has been with BCI for 23 years, previously directing its Bats and Mines, Bats and Forests, and Water for Wildlife initiatives. Dan’s background as a USDA-Forest Service biologist in Arizona, Montana, and Oregon, and years of experience facilitating collaboration between BCI and local, state, and national government partners made him well-suited to lead BCI’s HP&R habitat restoration initiatives.
Professor Hector Valtierra teaches General Biology, Microbiology, and the Biology of Alcohol & Other Drugs at local community colleges. He actively engages with iNaturalist and regularly participates in bird surveys, butterfly surveys, and bee surveys. His extensive knowledge of moths is impressive, and he is recognized as one of San Diego's leading recorders of moth species.
