European Bat Night 2002 - KRAŠNJA

In 2002 we organised the main European Bat Night in Krašnja where one of our most enthusiastic volunteers counted the number of Kuhl`s pipistrelle.

The children decorated the school in Krašnja with silhouettes of bats; they also handed out invitations for the night's talk. The invitation was publicized in the local newspaper ‘Rokovnjač in Društveni informatorj ŠD Krašnja'. Radio Slovenia broadcasted a short interview with the speaker.

First on the program for the night was the speech ‘Superstitions and truths about bats'. There were problems using the slide projector until we overcame them using our combined skills. This was followed by some introductory words spoken by the president of the cultural group ‘Društvo Fran Maselj Podlimbaški' - Mrs Veri Beguš.

Primož Pretsetnik, a member of SDVPN, spoke of the special characteristics of bats, of their lives and the superstitions related to them as well as answering many questions from the audience. He also spoke of the new pamphlet ‘Bats - neighbours in distress'. After the talk there was time for the local delicacies that had been carefully prepared by the women and girls of Krašnja.

As nightfall had already begun we quickly went to watch the night exit flight of the Lesser horseshoe bats from the bell-tower of the village church. To our great satisfaction they surprised us by flying close to our heads from the nearby opening .

The European Bat Night concluded in Krašnja when the last bat exited.

Or did it? TV Slovenia broadcasted a segment about the European Bat Night in Krašna in its program Obzornik. As there were many talented artistic people in the audience they surprised us on our next visit to Krašnja with a whole series of pictures using a variety of techniques. Without a doubt the pictures deserve a thorough showing. However, for now we present only two.

The speech and the accompanying activities could not have been organised without the assistance of the friendly locals and the cultural group ‘Kulturno društvo Fran Maselj Podlimbrški' and especially Vera Beguš and the Cerar family.

Primož Presetnik