Florida has a wide assortment of zoos and nature preserves, and some of them are more specialized than others. While many big zoos house and keep all sorts of critters, the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida is one of those specializing in a specific species - bats. This conservatory researches many different kinds of bats, while also focusing on educating the public about these nocturnal creatures.
At the Lubee Bat Conservancy, guests can see many different types of bats, and can witness them in their natural habitats. With enclosures and habitats that are set up to be both bat friendly and user friendly, guests can feel that they are walking among the bats, and can enjoy learning as much about them through interactive exhibits.
The Lubee Bat Conservancy is an international and non profit organization. They are dedicated to protecting the diversity that comes with the bat - and what they can do to keep these species safe in the wild. Most of the bats found in the conservancy are fruit and nectar bats. This is due to these species' specific vulnerability to extinction. Fruit and nectar bats are vital to the way that the rainforest and deserts provide countries with food and sustenance, as the bats actually help these crops grow through fertilization and eating harmful bugs that could damage the plants. The conservancy works with more than 145 types of plants that are dependent on the fruit bats.
Something to remember about the Lubee Bat Conservancy is that it is a conservation research facility, and therefore they are not open to the public all of the time. This means that if guests want to visit the bat conservancy, they need to have an appointment, unlike at other zoos, where people can visit at any time during operating hours. Guests can tour the facility from 1 to 4, Tuesday through Saturday with a prior appointment. Guests will want to contact the Conservancy about 4 weeks before they want to visit, and probably will need to be flexible about the dates or times that they would like to be there.
The advantage to this appointment system, however, is that visitors will get specialized tours instead of just walking through the facility by themselves. The tour that one will take is about 1 hour long. Included is a 20 minute presentation, called "Bats are Superheroes," which gives guests a short look at the life of a bat and the work being done at the conservatory. On the tour, guests will learn about bats, their biology, and the role that bats play in the environment. Then there will be a 30-minute visit to the bat center to meet the bats.
There is no cost to tour this location, but remember that this is a non-profit facility, so guests should consider making a small donation. This will help keep the facility running throughout the year, and will provide staffing so that they can continue not only researching bats, but also giving tours to the public.
