Harvest Festival at HCP

Volunteer Caitlin Acquroff

As part of International Bat Week (October 24 to 31), HAT staff Danielle Buckle and HAT volunteer Caitlin Acquroff participated in the Harvest Festival at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific (HCP) this past Saturday, October 29th. A big thank you to HCP for hosting such a fun event! It was a beautiful and crisp fall day with over 100 attendees who were all excited to learn about local bats and HAT’s other programs. Participants had the opportunity to explore the native plant and Japanese gardens, learn about HAT’s programs, and learn all about the nine species of bat we have on Vancouver Island. From the food they eat (insects) to the variety of habitats they live in (trees, attics, caves, and bat houses), the threats bats are facing (logging, development, pesticides, homeowner fear), and ways that individuals and landowners can help save these bat species (support the protection of forests and wetlands, allow bats to live in human structures, adopt a bat with HAT).

HAT volunteer Caitlin Acquroff has been busy making a Bat Week advent calendar for Bat Week. This was part of her Canadian Conservation Corps(CCC) of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) volunteer hours. We are very excited to continue working with Caitlin!